The “wow” factor

 A few days ago, driving along a country road, I saw a doe walking through a plowed field, realizing in a second that a fawn perhaps just hours old was following her. I stopped my car and watched them, surrounded by the beauty of the world my God has made. Simple? Yes, but a sight of wonder. I love when something catches my attention, riveting my eyes, filling me with wonder. Then, there are those holy moments when the Spirit’s Presence brings that kind of wonder. Sometimes that makes me weep, sometimes I tremble, sometimes I am just silent.  The Bible calls this wonder the “Glory of the LORD.”

In my Exodus readings, I came to the end of the book, after the completion of the Tabernacle, the center of the Israelites’ worship. The holy text says that " the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it." (Exodus 40:34-35, NIV) Previous chapters detail the construction of this mobile place of worship, with attention to detail and beauty. God blessed their efforts by settling His Glory there!

Centuries later, when Solomon dedicated the beautiful Temple in Jerusalem, something similar happened. God’s Presence was so strong, the priests could not go into the courtyard of that place! "The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 7:2-3, NLT) 

Are you full of the ‘glory of God?’ 

 It’s not a silly question! We who are in Christ Jesus are God’s temples. In our time, God does not live in temples or cathedrals though we may build them to honor Him. The Holy Spirit lives in us. His holy Presence can create glory, a special quality of being. Am I exaggerating? Not at all. 

When Moses spent 40 days on the mountaintop with the Lord, he came down with his face aglow! The Holy Spirit can and will give us glory!  It isn’t likely that our faces will have a strange glow, but our lives will be filled up with the beauty of the Lord – with love, with joy, with peace. The Word says that "the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, NIV)

Let me leave you with a word from the Word - spoken by Samuel to Saul at his anointing as the king of Israel. Christian, let’s make it our prayer that our lives will reflect the ‘glory of the Lord’ in a way that makes others take note; not of us, but of the One who is living in us!  "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person." (1 Samuel 10:5-6, NIV) 

_________

To God Be The Glory

To God be the glory great things He has done

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin

And opened the life gate that all may go in

Praise the Lord praise the Lord

Let the earth hear His voice

Praise the Lord praise the Lord

Let the people rejoice

O come to the Father through Jesus the Son

And give Him the glory great things He has done

O perfect redemption the purchase of blood

To every believer the promise of God

The vilest offender who truly believes

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives

Great things He has taught us

Great things He has done

And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son

But purer and higher and greater will be

Our wonder our transport when Jesus we see

Fanny Jane Crosby | William Howard Doane

© Words: Public Domain