Perspective, Part 1
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Isaiah 6:1
Twenty-eight years ago today, January 28, 1986, the Shuttle Challenger exploded just seventy-eight seconds after liftoff.
The explosion, which played out on worldwide television, took the lives of seven brave men and women and sent a wave of grief coursing through the United States, if not around the world.
It was a terrible day, and I remember it like it was yesterday.
And it’s on days like that, days of grief, pain and fear, that we desperately need perspective.
Consider this verse from Isaiah.
King Uzziah was Isaiah’s cousin, and had been the decades-long ruler of Israel. When he died, not only did Isaiah lose a close friend, but Israel lost a great leader. Even before Uzziah was laid to rest, the enemies of Israel were looking for ways to exploit her in her time of weakness. It was a scary, sad time for the prophet and the nation.
And then Isaiah saw God. Actually, he saw the Lord—Adonai—the ruling one.
He saw that the Lord was high and exalted. He saw that the Lord was seated on a throne.
That’s an amazing picture, and one we desperately need when life appears to be crashing in around us.
In times of either personal or national crisis—and they will both come again—we need to remember this picture from Isaiah’s own time of crisis.
Earthly circumstances never threaten God. He may be moved with compassion by what he sees, but he is never moved out of fear. His reign, his sovereignty and his control are unshakable.
He is still holy. He is still good. He is still God.
That’s perspective.
What crisis, trial or season of suffering are you facing right now? What fears are nipping at your heals? What headlines proclaim gloom and doom? What enemies are circling?
Take a breath, close your eyes, and allow your soul to visit God’s throne room. There you will see a picture of what is real. There you will find perspective.
And there you will see the Lord.
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