Is He in His rightful place?

'In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.' (Isaiah 6:1)

Sometimes, it takes God to do something to shake us up and wake us up. Today, while in church, as Ian read this verse, it just occurred to me when was the last time that I saw God sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. And if I were to be honest with myself, it's been a really really long time.

So much of self and flesh, so much of sin and pride, so much of I, me, myself, and so little of holiness and purity, so little of God. So often I see Marcus sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. I lived as if I was the king of my own life, the master of my own destiny. I lived and did things that pleased me, that feeds my flesh and rarely living out a life that glorify Him.

What a worship session today and what a timely message. This simple verse reminded me again of God's lordship in my life. Is it even there?

But today, I saw it. I saw my Lord sitting on the throne of my heart, high and lifted up. I saw Him at His rightful place. I saw Him being my Lord and Master again. It's been a while and the wilderness is starting to wear me out and break me down, but what a wonderful God. His grace never fails me.

Today, I ask you, is God high and lifted up in your life? Is He being the Lord and Leader of your life? Are you living for Him or yourself? I beg you to forsake the self life and begin living the God life, because only in Him can we find true satisfaction and joy, only in Him will we have an abundant and fruitful and meaningful life.

I'll end with something that CS Lewis said.

I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted him to do, and we should be obliged if he would leave us alone. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what he intended us to be when he made us...

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of -- throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

Isaiah 1:2-4

The Wickedness of Judah

Decided to read one New and Old testament book at the same time and decided on the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 1, we see the description of the wickedness of Judah.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken:

“I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”

Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.

Isaiah 1:2-4

Ungrateful!
Sinful!
Laden with iniquity!
Evildoers!
Corrupt!
Forsaken the Lord!
Turn away from God!

All the above are adjectives used to describe Judah.

It seems to me that this is very much similar to the state of many churches in the world today. It sounds like the lives of many Christians today. All of us must examine our own lives.

Are we ungrateful? When was the last time we give thanks to God? When was the last time we are thankful and grateful for His blessings?

Are we full of sin? Are our minds constantly filled with wicked, sinful and impure thoughts? Are our hands constantly doing things that displeases God? Are our tongues constantly mocking, insulting and complaining? Are we a wicked and sinful generation?

Are we people who turn away from God? Do we think we can do it by ourselves and turn our eyes away from Him? Do we trust our skills, abilities and talents more than God? Do we forsake the Lord?

My Prayer for myself and those who read this post is:
Lord, I come before You, realising my weakness, sinfulness and wickedness. Lord, I pray for myself and for those reading this post that You will bring us to the end of our ways. Help us to make a decision to forsake sins and to live for You. Lord, glorify Yourself in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.