Forgiven, Cleansed, Called and Sent

Friday 7-3-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:  Isaiah 6-7    2 Chron 26-27     Philemon

S.  Isa 6:7-8  Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."  Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?"  And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me." NLT

O.  What’s the big deal about forgiveness?  Well, the Holy Scriptures certainly make a big deal of its importance.  We were created in the image of God, the only creatures on this earth designed for intimate communion with Him.  This was not a relationship like the angels, the seraphim or cherubim.  It was a love relationship that was tragically broken by sin.  But our Creator took the initiative and provided us with a door to forgiveness. Isaiah had an encounter with God, saw the blackness of his sinfulness and confessed it.  God’s messenger touched his lips with a burning coal from off the altar where without doubt an innocent animal had just been sacrificed.  “Your guilt is removed!  Your sins are forgiven!”

A.  Thank God!  I have been there. “Guilt removed!  Sins forgiven!”  Don Whiteside was still young when imprisoned in Canada for violent crime.  In one robbery he had used a crow-bar to hit the owner of a business and left that man crippled for life.  But one day Don met the “Forgiver”.   Finally at his release he sought out that crippled businessman, told him of his conversion, pled for his forgiveness and received it.  He could not repair the damage done, but he was “forgiven.”  Eventually he received an official pardon from the queen of England to be allowed to go as a foreign missionary.  I met Don in Costa Rica while studying Spanish and took him with me to San Lucas Prison Island where a group of us had begun a ministry.  He gave his testimony before 240 prisoners.  It was powerful.  The response seemed almost unanimous! “Forgiven, cleansed, called, and sent”.  It happened to Isaiah.  It happened to Don Whiteside.  It happened to me.  Has it happened to you?

P.  Lord, I have met some good people that want to get involved in Your works of charity, but haven’t yet been to the foot of the cross for forgiveness and cleansing.  You chose to prepare me for Your work by first mending my broken relationship with You through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus.  I cried out confessing my sin and found “forgiveness and cleansing.” Only then I heard Your call and submitted to Your commission.  I pray that You would give a spiritual experience like that of Isaiah to many more young men and women.  May they confess the blackness of their sinfulness, be cleansed by Your blood sacrifice… and then hear Your call and respond… “Here I am, Lord.  Send me!”  Amen

Ralph