It is a natural thing to believe in what we see. An old saying is, "I'll believe it when I see it!" From a natural standpoint, this is a safe way to live. It keeps us from becoming easily deceived. Yet, in a spiritual world this isn't the best habit to have. The natural view is not conducive to spiritual vision. Yes, there is spiritual vision that is found in a different realm than what we can see in the natural. Spiritual vision can come to us as a voice or just simply a knowing. The natural vision protects us from many dangers but spiritual vision protects us from things the natural eye cannot see.
Around 1969, Teresa and I were traveling north on I-5 in California. We had decided to drive overnight from San Diego, where I was stationed in the Navy, to visit San Francisco. I was driving in the left lane so I could drive fast! I was driving around 80 mph and was enjoying very little traffic on the highway. I suddenly heard this inner voice, this knowing that said, "get in the right lane." I moved to the right lane feeling a little silly for hearing voices! Just as I made it into the right lane and approaching a hill that I couldn't see over, a car came screaming past us in the same lane I had just left. Someone in the middle of the night had evidently gotten into the wrong lane, going in the wrong direction on the interstate, and was traveling South in the Northbound lane! It was shocking to realize if I hadn't had that "knowing", we would be dead!
As you read this, you may be thinking, "I wish I had that ability." It wasn't actually an innate ability or a spiritual gift as far as I know. It was an intervention of almighty God simply by His Grace. I wonder how many times we have had the direct intervention of God's hand in our lives and we didn't even know it? Of course, I had to hear and sense the "knowing" from the Lord, but here is the really mind boggling part of this story. I wasn't walking with the Lord then. I would live in the darkest hours of my life during that and the next 4 years. This removes the argument that sin keeps us from hearing the voice of God. Certainly sin does interfere from hearing and obeying God on a daily basis, but God can always get through to us when He is ready. Living in a sinful place, I knew that the voice of God had just saved our lives. Yet, I didn't change! I kept living the same sinful and self centered life I had lived before the incident. But that, along with some other Divine reminders, kept drawing me back to Him.
Regardless of your spiritual condition as you read this, you are not too far away to hear God's voice and respond. Or for the believer and follower of the Lord, you can get back on track by hearing His voice and seeing what He sees. Mistakes are a part of the human condition. God knows that, and He is always speaking and revealing His will and direction to those with a heart to see and hear.
