Show Me Your Glory

Some years ago as I was going about my night, I felt a familiar aching in my Spirit. Instead of pushing the uneasiness aside, I retired for the night so I could be alone with both my thoughts and my prayers.  The need to have an audience of One overwhelmed me.

As I lie on my back on my bed, arms stretched toward heaven, I prayed a bold prayer. So bold, that even I was unaware of the magnitude of the request that escaped from my heart and out of my mouth: “Show me Your glory, Lord.”

Nothing happened at first.

My boldness grew as I stayed the course in my request, “SHOW ME YOUR GLORY!”

I’m not certain how long I presented my request before God, when suddenly His glory filled my bedroom. In what might have been the fastest reflexes I have ever experienced, my hands dropped to the bed, grabbed the blankets, and threw them over my head. “Enough!” “ENOUGH!” I cried. 

Holy fear replaced the incredible boldness I had felt only seconds earlier. I trembled under the covers, still feeling the weight of His glory. Words escaped me until at last His peace flooded my inner world, at which point I removed the blankets from my face. 

We read in the Word about Moses having a conversation with God. Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence… “But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:17-23)

No man has ever seen God (John 1:18), yet because of Jesus and the hope and freedom He has given us we are told, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (II Cor. 3:17-18) We reflect the Lord’s glory! He continues to tell us, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (II Cor. 4:6-7)

As we press forward and lean into God, His glory penetrates every fiber of our being. The lost are drawn to Christ through the glory of Christ reflected through our unveiled faces.

One day we shall live in a city that “does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Rev. 21:23)

However, until THAT day, we—the children of God— reflect His glory. 

I pray that our worship reaches to the highest heavens as we fall on our faces in the presence of His splendor and glory.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

No Chains On Me

Several days ago I walked into my daughter and son-in-law's home for a visit. My granddaughter Yetzy, now 8 months old, caught sight of me and crawled as fast as she could toward me with total excitement and joy in her eyes. Uninhibited, unencumbered, fully expecting her grandma to pick her up and kiss her entire face. Which of course, I did.

Later as I rocked her to sleep, I found myself staring into her angelic face. 

As I stared, I thought to myself, “This is how we all started, for the most part: trusting, loving, full of joy. No walls of protection, no chains of bondage, no fear of rejection.” 

I continued to rock Yetzy, gazing at her from time to time in awe of the trust she had in the one holding her. I had done nothing to earn her trust other than simply love her. Hmmm…my thoughts turned to my Maker and His relentless love toward me; a love I am old enough to realize, is undeserved. A love that feels impossible to receive at times.

In the quiet rocking I reflected on the truth of who God created each one of us to be; after all, we have all been created in His image (Genesis 1:27). He knew us before time. In spite of the truth of who we are today; He still looks upon us and sees us as He created us to be. The hurts, rejections, abandonments, betrayals and losses we have tasted were never intended to cause us to put up walls nor push away from both God and man. Sometimes love hurts but we must still chose to love; because God IS love (and remember, we are made in His image). (I Jn. 4:7)

I pondered this simple truth as I unconsciously continued to push the rocking chair in a rhythmic flow. What would it look like to live with no chains? The thought felt risky and daring and ridiculous. Who would willingly open up his or her heart to another and risk the fallout of what could be? Jesus would. Jesus did. Jesus does. Humbled to a sinner’s cross, arms open wide, our sins forgiven as His blood was shed for our freedom from chains. Our Savior risked it all regardless our acceptance or rejection of His love…

My prayer time this morning is different. When I close my eyes I can still smell the sweet aroma of my granddaughter. I can feel the love of God through her joy-filled eyes and her fully trusting heart. Childlike faith is necessary to embrace the love of God (Mt. 18:2-4). It feels ridiculous and risky—vulnerable and silly…and at the same time, as beautiful as my granddaughter.

Stay the course…

Sheila