Friday, March 7, 2008

Woe is me

Studying: Isaiah 5-6
Memorizing: Romans 1:1-29
Thoughts: Good

Isaiah chapter 6 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I don't have the mental energy to exegete it right now, but I was reading it today and again I'm struck by the holiness of God. That's a loaded theological phrase "God is holy." I find that perhaps I toss it around too flippantly sometimes, perhaps we all do. But the holiness of God cannot be simply explained or defined in one sentence. God's holiness is infinite because he is infinite, therefore no matter how deeply we may seek to understand it we will never exhaust it.

This chapter here gives but a glimpse into a majestic celestial scene given to Isaiah. the Lord is sitting on the throne, angels worship him calling out an antiphonal chant, repeating the attribute of God three times, "Holy, Holy, Holy..." When the Lord speaks foundations tremble and smoke fills the temple. This is might, this is power, this is the unmatched glory of the Ancient of Days. And to this Isaiah cries out "Woe is me."

Perhaps I need more "Woe is me" sometimes. Not because I long to be a Christian who walks around gloomy all the time moaning and groaning about how awful I am. I realize and recognize that a balanced assessment of myself is necessary. But, lest it ever become all too casual to me, I need to remember the holiness of God. As John Owen said "Think greatly on the greatness of God."

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