Spoiled

 A Series on Spiritual Turning Points: A Revelatory moment
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Isaiah 6:1-13 

[God is always at work in our life – drawing us to him, helping us to become the person he created us to be and leading us to opportunities to serve him. In this series we will look at spiritual turning points in the lives of real people, and words that help us to understand how God works in us and through us. Sometimes this happens suddenly, sometimes gradually, but always with purpose.]

  

Growing up, I was really, really, really spoiled. I was the youngest of four kids and my next oldest sibling was six years older. In effect, it was like growing up as an only child. The weird thing is that I didn’t realize that I was so self-centered. At least, not until college.

 

My revelation came when I read a book titled, “The Taste of New Wine”. The marketing overview on the inside flap reads: “Its message is a breakthrough for honesty, integrity, and openness in our relations with God and with each other”. This was one time when the marketing material of a book was true.

 

Uzziah reigned as the king of Judah for fifty-two years. In the beginning, he was described as “doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord”. He built up Jerusalem, improved the infrastructure, kept large herds of livestock and maintained a standing army. In a word, Judah prospered under Uzziah’s steadfast leadership.

 

As long as he sought the Lord’s guidance, God gave him success. However, with success and power came pride which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord and because of that, he was afflicted with leprosy, banned from the Temple and lived out his days in isolated shame.

 

The year that King Uzziah died was tumultuous due to the change in leadership and a rising threat from the Assyrian empire. In addition, the people of Judah were still worshipping foreign gods because Uzziah never removed their high places.

 

During this same year the Lord called Isaiah to be his prophet. It was a dramatic calling, as well as a revelatory moment. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on his throne and the train of his robe filled the Temple. There were seraphim flying above him and their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, which was filled with smoke.

 

³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."        NIV

    

 

Because he had seen how holy the Lord was, Isaiah realized how sinful he was.

 

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King the Lord Almighty.”                NIV

 

One of the seraphim picked up a burning coal from the fire on the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips with it saying, “Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven”.

 

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”                      NIV

 

As we draw closer to the Lord, it becomes apparent how “holy, holy, holy” he is, and how sinful we are. That’s what happened to me when reading “The Taste of New Wine”. For the first time, I could see just how really, really, really spoiled I was.

 

One of my favorite hymns is taken from this passage in Isaiah. Here is one verse that summarizes what it means to recognize the holiness of God, and how much we need his love and forgiveness.

 

Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

 

Apparently, there is hope… even for a spoiled kid.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

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