In the first half of the 6th chapter of the book of Isaiah, the prophet had a vision of the Lord in all His glory. It was that very vision that had him undone with his own filth and unworthiness. When seeing God upon His thrown in all His holiness, Isaiah witness how he could never measure up and had to admit to his own un-cleanliness and defilement. When we gaze upon the face of the Lord, we too are undone with our own unworthiness. Isaiah had seen the Lord in the year King Uzziah died, this was Isaiah’s beloved King in which he had put so much faith and for whom he had so much admiration. Sometimes we also see God a bit more clearly, and develop a deeper relationship with Him when something or someone dies in our lives and our focus now is on Him.

Have you ever been just going about your normal daily business and then for “no particular reason”, your thoughts drift toward the goodness of the Lord? As you meditate there for a time, suddenly you become overwhelmed by “the very particular reason” that God would and has sent His Beloved Son which is for the sole purpose of taking the wrath we deserve onto Himself. For those of us who are born again (born of His Spirit) we are then allowed access into the Throne Room of Grace… now… and for all eternity. Have you ever been overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it?

I know when I truly meditate on that gift, that truth, that promise, a sob is drawn out from some deep place that God Himself has touched. My knees crumble as I am swept up in the moment with gratitude of just knowing what I am, and who He is, and why I have been given such a love. As I almost melt by the heat from being overcome in brokenness at the knowledge of my sin, He embraces me to behold the beauty of His work and just what mercy truly means. Have you ever been taken back or overcome by your own desperate need of Christ as your Savior? Have we Christians become too blasé with our salvation and need to be shaken a bit by a good dose of reality at our condition?

Even now as these words are emerging from somewhere deep within my soul, and as I try to put pen to the expressions of my heart, words seem so woefully inadequate in describing an almost “out of body experience”. It is out of body in the sense I am not allowing my natural state to rise above my spiritual state. I don’t always feel my spirit in harmony with God. In fact, all too often, I go forward with Jesus out of sheer will rather than what I am feeling at the time. Life at times has been painfully hard. All too often I am selfish and I feel I deserved better than the lot I was given. I also allow memories of past situations to engulf me within the pit of disappointment. I don’t always choose well in directing my thoughts. BUT… when I lay down my fleshly side, and fix my body/soul/spirit on Christ alone, then I know I have chosen to awaken my spirit to connect with God, and I rise with Him.

One day I will leave this planet (and so will you). We will go to be with the Lord and see our Jesus face to face in all His glory. THAT will be a true “out of body” experience for we will have received our incorruptible body made just for the purpose of heaven. It can’t come soon enough for me because this body is getting hard to carry around with all its pain. Just think, my words and your words will never again seem incomplete or inadequate again, for by then we will be singing with the angels. Until that time, we must wait with great anticipation, and like Isaiah be ready to be sent out to share the Good News to a hungry, dark, and needy world.

May it be our desire that we be women who live in the present and are aware of the world around us. May we take notice of the blessings God gifts to each of us, and always long to hear His whispers. Shall we also pray with a more purposeful focus on God’s will? And as we stay connected in our relationship with Christ, we will become more thankful followers. Let us commit to doing this together! Close your eyes…Open your heart, let God’s Spirit empower you today.