What Happens When God Interrupts Us? | Isaiah 6 & Encountering God’s Calling | Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast S4E2
Sep 27, 2026
Summary
What happens when God interrupts us in the middle of uncertainty, fear, and doubt? In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah encounters God in a dramatic and terrifying vision—and responds, “Here I am. Send me.” In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Rev. Hannah and Rev. Brittany explore what Isaiah’s calling might teach us about hearing God, encountering God, recognizing our shortcomings, receiving grace, and responding when we sense a call to act.
Detail
What happens when God interrupts us in the middle of uncertainty, fear, and doubt? In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah encounters God in a dramatic and terrifying vision—and responds, “Here I am. Send me.”
In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Rev. Hannah and Rev. Brittany explore what Isaiah’s calling might teach us about hearing God, encountering God, recognizing our shortcomings, receiving grace, and responding when we sense a call to act.
Isaiah’s encounter with God doesn't happen in a peaceful or predictable moment. His calling comes at a time of political uncertainty and fear, and his response begins with an honest acknowledgment of his own shortcomings. That honesty becomes pivotal in his encounter with God’s grace and his ability to respond to God’s call.
What might Isaiah’s story have to say to us today? What if we have become so accustomed to the routines of faith that we no longer expect to encounter God in unexpected ways? And what if the things we see as our shortcomings, mistakes, or “unclean lips” can become places where God meets us, transforms us, and calls us forward?
As the female pastors reflect on Isaiah’s calling, they consider what it means to listen for God in the midst of uncertainty, to bring our whole selves into sacred spaces, and to move beyond shame toward grace and action.
In this conversation, they explore:
- Why Isaiah's encounter with God is so dramatic—and even terrifying
- What Isaiah's “unclean lips” reveal about shame, humility, and human shortcomings
- Why confession can open us to experiencing God's grace
- Whether we really expect to encounter God when we enter a familiar worship space
- How we can become so comfortable with religious routines that we stop listening for God
- Why God's blessings are meant to extend beyond the walls of the church
- How our mistakes and shortcomings can become part of the work God calls us to do
- What it means to respond to God's call before we know exactly where it will lead
This is the second conversation in our four-week series, “God Is Still Speaking: Listening in a Noisy World,” exploring what the voice of God might sound and look like in our lives today. Next week, we'll turn to Habakkuk and explore “The Long Silence”
Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, deconstructing your faith, studying the Bible, pursuing justice, wrestling with theology, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation.
Reflection Questions
- What keeps us from listening with humility?
- How can we acknowledge our own shortcomings while navigating disappointment in the actions of others?
- What helps you stay grounded when the present reality doesn’t give you much hope?
Continue the Conversation
Connect with our faith community in person or online as you reflect on the themes of this episode:
- Convergence discussion group (Sundays at 12 PM)
- Join our Patreon community
Timestamps
00:00 When God Interrupts Us
00:20 Isaiah’s Dramatic Encounter With God
05:11 When Encountering God Is Beautiful—and Terrifying
07:23 What Isaiah’s Humility Teaches Us
10:23 Confession, Shame & Receiving God’s Grace
12:44 Do We Expect to Encounter God?
14:45 God Doesn’t Bless Us Just for Ourselves
16:49 Is God Bigger Than the Church?
18:54 “Whom Shall I Send?” → “Here I Am. Send Me.”
22:56 Can Our Shortcomings Become Gifts?
25:23 Reflection Questions
