Word of the Week - God’s Glory
“Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts.” ~Psalm 96:7-8
God’s Glory is often described as the magnificence, worth, loveliness, holiness, and greatness of God. God’s Glory is referenced throughout the bible and is often communicated as His special presence manifested in different ways to include pillars of Glory and fire (Exodus 13:21-22), or as referred to in Exodus 40:34-35 “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the Glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Psalm 96 describes God’s Glory in terms like honor, majesty, strength, beauty, sovereignty, and righteousness with the intent of helping us understand the substance of our mighty God. This all points to the almost indescribable reality of God “the awe of God”, which should compel us to simply praise and worship Him in His Glory and magnificence. “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in His sanctuary.” Psalm 96:4-6 God’s Glory also compels us to glorify His name by sharing His goodness with others and living our lives in a way that let’s His light and Glory shine through us.
3 Aspects of God’s Glory:
The Magnificence and Splendor of God are displayed in the heavens and the earth. We see God’s Glory in His creation and it points us to the awesomeness of God the Creator of all things. His power and majestic beauty are on display each and every day. The beauty of a sunrise on a chilly fall morning, the serenity of the sun setting over the water, or a clear night sky with thousands of stars twinkling, these simple but amazing wonders point clearly to the Glory of God. I was at Lake Martin this weekend enjoying some time with Amy and friends. During the weekend I was overcome with the Glory of God shining through His creation so much so that I just had to shout out to Him in praise. I felt compelled to let God know how much I love and appreciate Him and the gift of being able to experience Him through His creation. When we give God praise it reminds us of how good He and points others to the magnificence and splendor of God. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” Psalm 91:1
Sharing His goodness - what God has done and is doing in us and through us Glorify’s God. There is nothing like the power of our testimony and sharing what God has done in our lives through His power and presence. When we share with others our God story and how it has changed our lives it brings Glory to God and plants seeds for God’s Glory to shine. It is not just our salvation testimony, which is very powerful but also what God is doing in our lives today as we walk with Jesus. If we are abiding in Christ there will be godly fruit in our lives. This fruit comes from God and therefore is meant to Glorify Him. Living holy and godly lives Glorifies God. We should be looking for the fruit in every area of our lives and always be ready to share with others who may be struggling or needing help in a similar area. This is ministry, simply taking what God has done in your life to bless you and sharing it with others. Whether it is your marriage, family, friendships, finances, business or whatever, we can use it to point people to God and bring Glory to His name. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31
God’s presence in the person of the Holy Spirit is the manifest presence of God’s Glory in our lives. God desires for personal intimacy with each of us. When God’s presence shows up in a personal way, it makes God real and personal. He is no longer a distant God who exists in the heavens, but He is a personal and relatable God who comes down to dwell with us and within us. God can manifest His presence in our lives in many ways both eternally and internally. The Holy Spirit is the great Comforter that allows us to sense the warmth of God’s love. It is also the spirit of God that prompts and convicts us. The presence of the Holy Spirt in our lives is God’s Glory shining in us and through us. His presence in us shows up as the manifest presence of God and impacts all areas of our lives to include our homes, businesses, and churches. The reality and experience of His presence transforms those who are in His midst. As we surrender more and more to the Holy Spirit we become more godly and God’s glory shines through us and radiates to those around 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 God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ”. 2 Corinthians 4:6
God’s Glory goes far beyond our human comprehension. We will not fully understand God’s Glory until we get to heaven but in the meantime, He gives us glimpses of His Glory. Revelation talks about this “And He carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the Glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal….I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” Revelation 21:10-11; 22-23
Lord, show us your Glory and may our lives reflect your Glory and Glorify you!!!!
Duane