UNDONE BEFORE THE HOLY
“Then said I, ‘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 mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’”
— Isaiah 6:5
In a moment of overwhelming divine encounter, the prophet Isaiah does not boast, celebrate, or feel empowered. He is undone. Standing before perfect holiness strips him of self-confidence, self-righteousness, and spiritual illusion. Isaiah’s cry “Woe is me!” reveals what happens when fallen humanity encounters the blazing purity of God. This divine crisis is not the end of the journey; it is the beginning of true transformation, grace, and purpose.
I. The Crisis of Conviction — The Problem Exposed
A true encounter with God’s holiness exposes our deepest sinfulness. It is no longer comparative righteousness measuring ourselves against others, but a personal reckoning before a perfect God. Isaiah does not first accuse his generation; he begins with himself: “I am a man of unclean lips.”
The Holy Spirit affirms this truth through the apostle Paul:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23
Conviction is not condemnation. It is the gracious uncovering of our need for redemption.
II. The Contrast of Holiness — The Standard Revealed
Isaiah is undone because he has seen “the King, the LORD of hosts.” Conviction flows from contrast. The brilliance of God’s holiness reveals the depth of human inadequacy. We understand the weight of the stain only when we behold the intensity of the light.
Yet this same holy God offers hope:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1:9
The light that exposes is also the light that cleanses.
III. The Compassion of Grace — The Provision Made
God does not leave Isaiah in despair. A seraphim brings a live coal from the altar and touches his lips, symbolizing atoning sacrifice. The holiness that reveals Isaiah’s corruption also provides the means of his purification. God’s response to confessed unworthiness is not rejection, but mercy.
Scripture calls us to respond:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
— Acts 3:19
Grace is released where repentance is received.
IV. The Commission from Cleansing — The Purpose Granted
Immediately after Isaiah is cleansed, he hears the voice of the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send?” Cleansing always precedes commissioning. God does not purify us merely for personal comfort, but for divine purpose. Our undoing becomes the foundation for God’s doing through us.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
— Philippians 1:6
The God who cleanses is the God who sends and the God who completes.
Closing Prayer
Holy and Righteous God, I come undone before Your presence. I acknowledge my sin, my weakness, and my complete dependence on Your mercy. Cleanse me through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Purify my heart, my mind, and my lips. Remove everything in me that cannot stand in Your holiness. I receive Your forgiveness fully and without fear. Having been cleansed, I yield myself to You. Align my life with Your will and make me available for Your purposes. From this place of surrender, I answer Your call. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I am cleansed, forgiven, and made right with God through Christ. Conviction has led me to repentance, repentance has released grace, and grace has positioned me for purpose. What God has purified, He will use. The work He has begun in me shall be completed. From a heart surrendered and renewed, I say: Here am I, Lord send me.
Amen
