In the year that . . .

While reading Isaiah, I came again to this phrase in Isaiah 6. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and lifted up . . . “(Isaiah 6:1).

What was significant about the year that King Uzziah died? Why did God choose that year to give Isaiah a special vision?

I’m sure I must have read about this along the way, but I couldn’t dislodge the answers from my memory bank, so I investigated.

After several searches, I found helpful information in a Wycliffe Bible commentary my dad used to teach Sunday School.

King Uzziah started off well, but later his arrogance and pride led him down a dark path and he spent the end of his life as a leper in exile. Wycliffe writes, “Uzziah’s death . . . marked the passing of a golden age of spiritual vigor in Judah (at least until the king’s sin of presumption ten years before his decease); and his ungodly grandson was perhaps already exerting an influence in Jotham’s government. To the discouraged prophet, as he knelt in prayer at the Temple at Jerusalem, the Lord granted a transforming vision of his glory. He thus assured Isaiah that despite the apparent triumph of wickedness on earth, the Lord Jehovah still reigned omnipotent upon his heavenly throne . . .”

So, in the year that seemed as if the best days were in the rearview mirror, in the year that seemed as if evil was prevailing, in the year that seemed there was no reason to hope, God revealed himself in a glorious way to Isaiah.

That experience was transformative, because the holiness of God’s presence caused Isaiah to see his own sinful state which led to confession, God’s cleansing, and ultimately to his responding to God’s question, “Who will go for us?”

His answer?

“Here I am. Send me!”

In the year that . . . 

You fill in the blank from your perspective. 

It’s easy to grow discouraged when it seems the world is unraveling around us, or when things are going haywire in our personal lives. But, we can remind ourselves that just as in Isaiah’s time, God is on the job

God can still reveal himself causing us to fall once more into His everlasting arms and perhaps set us on a new course for Him.

It’s all in our response to God. Isaiah experienced the holiness of God, repented, and answered the call. When we allow ourselves to do the same, God can take us to new places with Him, as well.

So, our best days yet may still be ahead of us. And in the year that we are growing so weary from an ongoing pandemic and much more, that is really good news.

Beverly Varnado is the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. A memoir, Faith in the Fashion District,  from Crosslink Publishing  is available wherever books are sold.  Also consider her other books, Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees and Home to Currahee. She also has an Etsy Shop, Beverly Varnado Art. 

To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.com

Beverly Varnado copyright 2022