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When reading Acts 22:14, it was as if God would not let me move on any further! How very strange! Yes, this type of things does happen. I turned to the Old Testament and read from Isaiah Chapter 6. Here we have another man's testimony - the testimony of Isaiah.

One era had come to an end. Uzziah had been a good king, but something went terribly wrong. He suddenly developed leprosy, and died a leper, and Isaiah reminds us of earth's unstable throne.

All he did was try to become a priest, and he became a leper. Never try to move out of your sphere of ministry.

Isaiah goes into the Temple in Jerusalem and Isaiah sees and knows that God is still on THE THRONE. This lay at the heart of his ministry just as that meeting with Jesus was at the heart and core of Paul's ministry, and Isaiah's lifetime's work was to be demanding and unpopular just as Paul's was.

"I saw the Lord, the Lord of hosts, and He was seated upon His Eternal Throne. I was in His visible and audible presence. I have seen something of the power of God, and something of the glory of God, and something of His holiness."

It is important at all times to hold fast to your personal testimony, and to hold on to your vision of God - the vision, which God has given you. Hold on to what is real in your personal Christian Experience.

What struck Isaiah as he stood there in the Temple? He saw that God is holy and that God is light.

Isaiah sees God's Majesty - His Righteousness - His Purity - His Cleanness.

Now, when a man sees the pure holiness and light of God, a natural reaction can be to run from Him rather than turn to Him, just because of personal unworthiness. Worship can lead to a sense of sin and an awareness of sin!

Isaiah realised that he was dirty - unclean - impure - filthy. That can happen.

"Woe is me. I am ruined. For I am a man of unclean lips."

Isaiah also knew the spiritual condition Israel was in at that time. He knew something of what was about to happen to his beloved land. Isaiah had been bewildered - confused - upset - and the best place to go through these emotions is in the House of God.

Isaiah confesses his sin, and the sin of those around him. An angel takes a coal from off the altar, and with this live coal, he touches Isaiah's lips, and Isaiah's sin is burned out - removed - gone - in a second. He is forgiven - clean - God has ministered to him.

Know that you are clean and that God has forgiven you.

Then Isaiah hears the voice of God - "Who shall go for us?" Isaiah answers - "I'll go - send me." When you hear God calling you - you respond. It may not always be just as dramatic as this - sometimes it may even be more dramatic as this - that is not important - what is important is that it is real and that it lasts.

Never forget the experience. Isaiah never forgot it. Paul never forgot it. You will need it for the valleys, and for the dark days, and for the seasons when nothing much is happening. But when God has called you, you can patiently go through dry barren arid wilderness experiences, just like Jesus did after He was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and was 40 days in the desert, and then tempted by the devil.

Isaiah and Paul and Peter and you and me - is that being a bit arrogant lumping everyone together? Not at all! If the calling and commissioning is as real, then let our service in the Kingdom be as obediently faithful and lovingly influential.

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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