Seeing the Lord
 

This is a hard thing to do for any of us; most of us have our eyes too much on man to see the Lord.  In the Word of God we find a man by the name of Isaiah who had the same problem.  Yet in chapter 6 of his book we read, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."  The Lord had not moved, we always see Him on His throne, but Isaiah had his eye on the king more than on God.  When the king was taken out of the picture, Isaiah had a much clearer picture of God. 

About four years ago, I had a preacher friend of mine go home to be with the Lord.  His life was not perfect.  As a matter of fact, in the last few years of his life he was not even living as a man of God; acting as though he was not even a Christian.  Many of the people stopped attending the church (although he had not been the pastor there for many years).  They had their eyes on man and not the Lord.  Somehow they had forgotten that he was simply a man, not God, and that he was capable of sin just as anyone else.  He was not perfect, only forgiven.  Sometimes people place preachers on pedestals, lifting them up above the crowed, forgetting they have been called to lead, so they are still on the same level.

In my case, though, it caused me to get closer to the Lord.  I had a clearer picture of His working in our lives and strived to live everyday to its fullest for the Lord in all that I do.  This is all to tell you of what happened to me a few weeks ago.

I was attending the York US 30 reunion when I came across the man that built my car back in 1966.  I remembered that he had asked me a question back then (43 years ago) and though I didn't quite lie to him, I didn't tell him the truth either. (If you would like to know the complete story, speak to me in person and I will gladly share it.)  The Lord did bring it to my attention though.  I went to find him later, but he was gone.

The very next week I was doing the Super Chevy Show when, on Sunday, I see him again!  Well the Lord has been dealing with me on this for a week now and when I talk to him, I still don't tell him about what has been bothering me.  By now this has become disobedience in my life.  Even though many would say that I'm just crazy, it's beginning to eat at me.  I don't want to put a wall between the Lord and me.  I want to see Him work in my life, to answer my prayers, and to be high and lifted up as Isaiah said. So bright and early on Tuesday morning I traveled 60 plus miles to see him and give him the answer to a question that he had asked me about 43 years earlier.

Did he remember anything about what was bothering me?  I don't think so.  But that is not the point; it's doing what God would have you do.  Sometimes we may have to apologize to someone and they may not accept it.  Still, that does not mean that we shouldn’t go.

It's all about being obedient to what the Lord would have you do.  Samuel asked Saul this question: "And Samuel said, hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being king." (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

So now what?  Do I feel special?  No, but it's not about a feeling.  It is about obeying the voice of the Lord.  It is not about special blessings or anything else; just doing the right thing…even 43 years late.

Dan Laterza