The Price of the Vision

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . —Isaiah 6:1

Many years ago Rosemary and I had friends who were deeply devoted Christians. They were however, enamored of a TV “Christian” personality. When the personality fell, these good people were nearly destroyed. Thankfully their spirituality was deep enough to refocus and restore them.  Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged.

It is crucial that our focus is always on God not some person. It is equally important that we don’t allow ourselves to be the focus of someone’s spirituality. Years ago we belong to a church. It seemed to be a wonderful thing; it was only later clear that for many the church was the focus of many of the members and not the Lord. When the church turned out to be imperfect, many fell away.

My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”

There is only one way, no detours or substitutes: Jesus.

Let’s keep our focus on the real source of all we need: Our Lord.

Nick