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| Photo credit - Habatat Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL |
Jay, my son, is co-owner of an art gallery that exists to
show off beautiful things! Artists invest hours to create glass works of
intricate design and brilliance. Jay takes those works and builds displays with
lighting with one purpose – to capture the
viewer’s attention. A walk through
that place (Habatat Gallery)
is like a feast on beauty. Even I, without any real art appreciation or
understanding, respond to the gallery’s displays with admiration. The displays ‘disappear’ as the eye is
focused on the artist’s creation.
Listen to what the Lord says of His people. “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will
display my splendor.” (Isaiah 49:3, NIV) We are called by God into His holy
family, filled with His Spirit, for a singular purpose – that He could reveal
Himself in all His splendor through us. Pause and think about that! When He
announced His ministry at a synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus spoke the words of
Isaiah 61, which include these memorable phrases of the people He would bring
back to God. “They will be called oaks of
righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (61:3) I am overwhelmed when the depth of His
promise starts to sink in into my full awareness. God made me (and you) as a display case for
His beautiful majesty.
Are we up to the task? Not in ourselves. No discipline, no
self-improvement, no determination is sufficient to show off God’s radiance in
us. Oh, there is a kind of wonder that humans, who are made in the image of
God, can create. Beautiful music, art that
captivates, graceful dance, an athlete’s performance, a mind honed by learning –
all these are amazing and we do well to desire excellence. And yet, we can know
a ‘splendor’ that is beyond human beauty or accomplishment. Paul says that God Himself will shine
brightly through us. "We now have
this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars
containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is
from God, not from ourselves … Through suffering, our bodies continue to share
in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
… For our present troubles are small and
won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs
them and will last forever!" (2 Corinthians 4:7.10,17, NLT)
I want to let the beauty of Jesus shine through me, don’t
you? So let’s do it! Invite Him to take
mastery of every thought, each word, the acts of the day. Listen for the Spirit’s leading. Pray to be
full of the Spirit, so that He spills over like water spilling over from a full
glass. Ask the Spirit to equip you for life, giving you supernatural (Yes,
beyond human capability) gifts that make you a person that you could not be
apart from His work in you.
Here is a word from the Word. The passage is familiar to you
who read along with CoffeeBreak for this is a life passage for me. I pray that they are not just lofty ideals but
my reality. How about you?
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, … Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16,20-21, NIV)
______
Lord Be Glorified
In my life Lord
Be glorified be
glorified
In my life Lord
Be glorified today
In my song Lord
Be glorified be
glorified
In my song Lord
Be glorified today
In Your church Lord
Be glorified be
glorified
In Your church Lord
Be glorified today
Bob Kilpatrick
© 1978 Bob Kilpatrick Ministries (Admin. by Lorenz
Corporation)
CCLI License # 810055
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