LET US SEE
GOD 59-1129
47
Reminds me of a--there near our place. We live on the Ohio River. And
there was a little boy who went to a certain Sunday school, a Baptist Sunday
school in our country, and he was very much enthused. One day when he asked his
mother, "If this great Person that's called God, that we go to church to
worship, if He is such a great Person, wonder if you could let me see Him? I'd
like to see Him." Oh, the mother said to her little junior; she said,
"Well, sonny, you must ask your Sunday school teacher; mother's not able
to provide that answer." So at Sunday school he spoke to his teacher, and
she said, "I'm not able to provide that either, so you'd better ask the
pastor." After the sermon, they asked the pastor. And the pastor said,
"No, sonny." Said, "No man can see God." Said, "God is
just like the air, and you cannot see Him." And, of course, that didn't
satisfy the little lad.
51
And he used to chum with an old man down on the Ohio River. And he was
an old typical fisherman, the graying in his beard, and he was some sixty-five,
seventy years old, batching, living in a little shanty-boat. And I've fished
with him myself, and we used to go up around the islands and fish, set jumper
lines. So this little lad was with him one day up the river. And on the road
back there come up a storm, and they had to rush quickly to the bank to land
the little boat; because the waves was so awful big and whitecapping, until it
would turn the little craft over. So after the storm was over, and they came
from behind the trees, they pushed the little boat off the bank, and got out
into the current of the river, which was about one mile across the Ohio River
there. Started down the river, drifting along, as the old fisherman was pulling
the oars.
52
And while they were behind the tree, the old fisherman had told the
little boy the story (as he'd asked him) why he wasn't married, and didn't have
anyone to take care of him. And he said, "Oh, sonny, there's Someone Who
takes care of me. And the reason that I am not married, my wife is in heaven
waiting for me." And he went on with the story. And as he got out into the
current, they were going east with the little boat--or going west, rather, with
the little boat, and the old fisherman facing back up the river towards the
west, it was in the afternoon, and--and the sun was setting. And after the
rain, come a rainbow. And, oh, I think that's a most beautiful time. When the
rain has washed all the dirt off the trees, and--and they look so pretty and
green in their original colors, and all the flowers are pretty, and the
atmosphere's low, and brings the smell of the rose out. It's just a beautiful
time after a rain. I think it somehow reminds me after a revival, when the Holy
Spirit has come in and washed all the dust out, and--and got us sweetened again
before the Lord. Just to stand in the Presence of, like I am this afternoon,
just bathing here in the Presence of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit taking all
doubts and fears and things away from us, and we stand together, after a--a
shower from heaven has filled our souls.
56
As the old fisherman started pulling his boat on, the little fellow
noticed that tears begin to come down the old fisherman's face. And the little
lad turned to see what he was looking at, and there was a rainbow across the
sky. So the little fellow setting in the stern of the boat, become enthused. So
he was holding onto the side of the brail, and he raised up, and run up into
the stern of the boat, and fell down at the old fisherman's lap. And he said,
"I want to ask you something that my mother, nor my Sunday school teacher,
or pastor, can answer for me." And the old fisherman stopped his oaring
and said, "What is it, lad?" He said, "I noticed you looking at
that rainbow." Said, "They tell me that God put that up there."
He said, "That's true, my lad." He said, "If God is so great,
could anyone see Him?" And the old fisherman embraced the little boy to
his bosom; he said, "Blessings on you, my little lad. Let me tell you
something. All that I've seen for the past fifty years has been God."
There was so much God on the inside, till he could see Him on the out. Now,
that's the only way you're ever going to be able to see God, is get Him on the
inside of you, let Him look through your eyes, and He will declare Himself.