25 Prayers for 25 Years | Day 13 | Forgiveness For Our Shortcomings
In today’s devotional, CCA Fort Lauderdale’s Elementary Discipleship Coordinator, Ashley West, continues our 25 Prayers for 25 Years series by highlighting Isaiah’s process of confession and restoration.
Scripture:
“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. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
And they were calling to one another:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
‘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.’
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’
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!’”
–Isaiah 6:1-8
And they were calling to one another:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
‘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.’
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’
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!’”
–Isaiah 6:1-8
Reflection:
When Isaiah encountered the holiness of God, his immediate reaction was not excitement – it was conviction. He saw the Lord seated on the throne, high and exalted, and he heard the seraphim proclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.”
In Hebrew, repetition intensifies meaning. To declare God holy three times is not just for emphasis – it is an absolute declaration that there is no one like Him. Compared to God’s perfect purity, Isaiah was undone. He recognized that he was unclean and lived among people who were unclean. The presence of God made him acutely aware of how much he needed forgiveness.
But Isaiah’s story doesn’t end in shame – it moves to grace. In the very moment of Isaiah’s confession, God moved toward him. A seraph flew to him with a burning coal from the altar – a symbol of both judgment and mercy. It touched his lips, and the angel declared, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
God didn’t overlook Isaiah’s sin; He atoned for it. He didn’t destroy Isaiah in his unholiness but instead destroyed Isaiah’s unholiness so he could dwell in God’s presence. This moment is not just Isaiah’s story – it is ours.
We are unworthy, yet God, through Jesus, offers us cleansing and new life. He doesn’t call us to pretend to be holy; He invites us to be made new and set apart for Him through confession, repentance, and faith.
In Hebrew, repetition intensifies meaning. To declare God holy three times is not just for emphasis – it is an absolute declaration that there is no one like Him. Compared to God’s perfect purity, Isaiah was undone. He recognized that he was unclean and lived among people who were unclean. The presence of God made him acutely aware of how much he needed forgiveness.
But Isaiah’s story doesn’t end in shame – it moves to grace. In the very moment of Isaiah’s confession, God moved toward him. A seraph flew to him with a burning coal from the altar – a symbol of both judgment and mercy. It touched his lips, and the angel declared, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
God didn’t overlook Isaiah’s sin; He atoned for it. He didn’t destroy Isaiah in his unholiness but instead destroyed Isaiah’s unholiness so he could dwell in God’s presence. This moment is not just Isaiah’s story – it is ours.
We are unworthy, yet God, through Jesus, offers us cleansing and new life. He doesn’t call us to pretend to be holy; He invites us to be made new and set apart for Him through confession, repentance, and faith.
Only after Isaiah was cleansed did he hear God speak. And when he did, he didn’t hesitate: “Here am I. Send me!”
Confession isn’t just about owning our sin – it is about receiving God’s grace and responding with surrender. When we grasp the weight of our sin and the wonder of His mercy, everything changes.
As a CCA community, may we confess our shortcomings and remember this: God meets us in our unworthiness, purifies us, and calls us to live lives that reflect His glory.
Prayer:
Holy God, we come before You with humble hearts, aware of how far we fall short of Your glory. Forgive us for our sins – our thoughts, words, and actions that are not aligned with Your will. Thank You for Your mercy that cleanses us through Jesus and makes us new.
Purify us, Lord, and give us hearts that respond like Isaiah’s: “Here am I. Send me.” Let our lives reflect Your holiness and grace, not only in this season of celebration, but in every day to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Purify us, Lord, and give us hearts that respond like Isaiah’s: “Here am I. Send me.” Let our lives reflect Your holiness and grace, not only in this season of celebration, but in every day to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ashley West has been a part of CCA Fort Lauderdale for four years and currently serves as the Elementary Discipleship Coordinator. She is passionate about helping kids grow in their relationship with Jesus, and she finds great joy in creating chapel experiences, prayer opportunities, and moments that help students personally connect with God and grow in their faith. Ashley and her husband, Jeremy, have two daughters who attend CCA, and their family loves being part of the CCA community. Her favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6.
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