It did not dawn on me till today, that Rho preached his last public sermon this day last year: It thrills me to know that I had the privilege to walk in covenant with one of God's most trusted generals. I remember that morning clearly: He stood on the platform, quickened by the Holy Spirit, as He delivered what would be a timely and prophetic word to me and to thousands of others for years to come.
Title: Event Vs. Encounter
Text: Isaiah 6:1- 8
Many of us allow the enemy to eclipse the encounter God desires to bring our way, with catastrophic events that surround us. "In the year that King Uzziah died." (Isaiah 6:1) How devastating to have what you hoped for, believed in, just vanish.
I can remember sitting on the pew feeling rattled ... Why is Rho preaching from this text? I am trying to stay anchored Lord, why did the king have to die?
Isaiah reminds us that in that same year... I also saw the Lord...
More than just sight, that day, Isaiah received insight that would change his ministry life and Israel forever.
In the year of Roosevelt's homegoing, I also saw the Lord remain faithful to give me peace, keep hope alive, love me unconditionally. I am not completely defined by the events in my life, but by those wonderful moments when God shows up and allows me to encounter His love and plans for me and the kids.
Like Isaiah, I found my self looking up to heaven, recognizing that our God is Holy and unparalleled to any other. His ways, thoughts, and promises far exceed my humanity. Like Isaiah who said woe is me I am undone, I needed to take an inward inventory, recognizing God must change me in order to accomplish great things. Finally Isaiah, who said; Here am I, send me; I must allow my life to be marked by compassion for others.
Roosevelt knew this was His last recorded message and it meant more to him that when you look back in this year, for you to remember how God's been faithful show up just for you.