A number of years ago, a woman in Kansas City walked into a Haagen-Dazs ice cream shop at the Plaza shopping center. While waiting, she turned to find actor Paul Newman standing behind her! He was in town filming the movie Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, and was now standing behind his biggest fan.

He smiled at her and said "hello." She took one look at those legendary blue eyes and her knees almost buckled. Her heart was in her throat. She tried to speak, but not a sound came out. Mortified, she turned around, paid for her ice cream, then quickly walked out of the store.

Outside, she sat down on a bench and caught her breath. As she calmed down, she realized she didn't have her ice cream cone. She was debating walking back in to get it when Paul Newman walked out. "You looking for your ice cream cone?" he asked. Speechless again, she nodded. "You put it in your purse with your change."

If you or I were to come face to face with a celebrity we admire, I imagine most of us would behave in much the same way. Our generation is infatuated with celebrities. Movie stars, rock stars and athletic superstars dominate the headlines of our magazines and tabloids. We love to read about their lavish lifestyles and ruined relationships. And though basketball star Charles Barkley emphatically stated, "I am not a role model," our children inevitably list media personalities when asked to name their heroes.

I wonder, we who get so excited about meeting a celebrity -- why is it that we can enter into the presence of God with a yawn and a shrug?

Throughout biblical history, just a handful of people were given glimpses of God, and they all struggled to describe what happened. Perhaps the clearest record of such an encounter was recorded by the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah described the circumstances surrounding his encounter with God in the year King Uzziah died. This tells us not only when this happened (about 758 B.C.) but it also gives us some insight into what was going on in Isaiah's heart and mind. Unlike so many of the other prophets, like Amos or Hosea, Isaiah was born into relative wealth and position. He was a member of the royal court, historian, advisor and confidant of the King.

So Isaiah's encounter with God occurred during a time of personal tragedy, a time of loss. The man who had died was not only his employer -- but also his friend. Uzziah had ruled for over 52 years. During that time, Israel experienced perhaps the longest sustained period of prosperity in its history. Now, the king was dead.

What would happen to Israel? Would there be civil war? Economic depression? Who would ascend to the throne? Would the next king honor God and seek to be a spiritual leader for Israel? In the middle of all this confusion and uncertainty, Isaiah went to the temple to worship, and there, he found himself face to face with God.

I'll bet that some of you are in the midst of confusion and uncertainty this morning. The company you work for has just merged. Will you still have a job? You and your spouse have grown apart. Will your marriage survive? One of your children is rebelling against everything you believe in. Will their future be ruined by making so many poor choices? Wouldn't it be great, in times of bad news and painful experiences, if you could experience God, face to face, like Isaiah did? This passage tells us that you can.