THE BASIS OF ALL TRUE WORK FOR GOD.
IT is God's desire that all should see Him. "Look unto Me, . . . all the ends of the earth." Only by seeing God can man truly realize his own sinfulness, unworthiness, and utter nothingness. When Isaiah "saw the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," he cried, "Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then [when the prophet saw himself, felt his need, and confessed his sin, "then"] flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; and he touched my mouth with it, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." And then when the Lord asked for a messenger, the prophet was ready. "Here am I; send me. And He said, Go." God desires humility; for He can cleanse and use the humblest. Isaiah "saw the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," before whom seraphim shouted, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts," and he humbled himself. To the man of humility and through Him God gives us this precious assurance: "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." He makes the heart of the humble and contrite a holy place by His own presence. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted of God; and only by humility are we fitted for His service.