Refined By His Presence

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Isaiah 6:1,5-7 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple... So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”

What it is speaking to me:

I have spent the week looking at refining: why it is good, how it cleanses us, how it grows us, and how it makes us more like Christ. We have looked at how refining is sometimes repentance, growth, and acting on the will of the Father. There has been a focus on what we can do to embrace refining and even encourage it in ourselves. These are all good and important things to consider and act upon.

But there is another way that we are refined that has little to do with our actions or our decisions: it is by being in the presence of God. Truly, it is the beginning of us embracing all that I mentioned above.

The story in Isaiah 6 describes a moment where Isaiah’s life changed, when he was greatly refined. How? It was by a vision of heaven in the Spirit’s presence. He saw something and was put into something that worked a change in him.

• He immediately sensed his sin and his imperfections in light of the perfection of the Lord on His throne.

• He was then immediately refined; the coal on his tongue represented his sin being forgiven.

• The verses that follow show Isaiah being refined for mission—to speak for the Lord in the lands where He would send him.

  
  

Why? Because he was in the presence of God. The presence of God changes us. It is the presence of God that initiates and continues to power our refinement:

• First, when we receive the Spirit at the time of our salvation.

• When we are baptized in water.

• When we receive the baptism of the Spirit.

• When we receive communion.

• When we pray.

• When we worship.

If we ever feel like we have stopped being refined, the first question we should ask ourselves is, “When was I last in His presence?” Have I been in the presence of my Father? Because when we are in HIS presence... we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

What is it saying to you?

• Reflect on a time when you were refined simply because you entered the presence of God. Was it easy? Hard?

• Have you tried being refined by your own power and your own will versus being refined by His presence?

What are we going to do about it?

Today, however you can and for however long you can, get into the presence of God. In prayer, in worship—whatever you need to do. Experience His presence today and see what refining happens all on its own.