Wondrous Glory

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.” Exodus 33:22

Moses wanted to see God’s glory. How wonderful to be able to ask for this wonder of wonders!

And so, my heart was curious about it all. It takes such great faith to pray and believe with all my heart that God is with me always. But Moses asked to see His intense glory!

God said that He would put Moses in a place in the cliffs. He would cover him with His hand until He had passed, and Moses would be able to have a glimpse of His back (not really a physical body but perhaps a radiant light, too bright to look upon).

Maybe we’ll never know until eternity what really happened. But what Moses saw was all he could bear. There was so much more to the Almighty God, and even overwhelmingly so!

It all sounds too fantastic to be true. I’m sure that the light of God was astounding.

Today, in my life, it would be such a tremendous blessing to see the brilliance of God. I would travel far and pursue it with all my might and will, much more than the things of earth that call to me.

Here I sit at my computer typing away at the keys, as I do during the week for my next blog. And I stop as I always do and pray to this Radiant God, sometimes inside my head, but a lot of times, simply out loud.

I don’t see anyone. I don’t hear anyone. But my heart knows…He’s here in this room. He lives inside my heart.

And the thought of that amazes me. It also brings me to my knees knowing that I have not fully followed Him in obedience and love today. Tears come, and in His light, I remember my sins. The light is brilliant and seeks out anything unlovely, to dispel it and replace it with His loving ways.

Bringing to my mind that His glory is here, now, reminds me that I am not holy as He is holy. And then it reminds me of the fact that Jesus covers me with His loving death on a cross. I am forgiven and healed and can stand before this Amazing God.

Though I cannot glimpse His back as Moses did, His brilliance lights up my heart and soul. This deep belief in an invisible God is so real, I feel I could touch it, and it would materialize in front of me.

Lord, help my heart to listen when you probe at the depths of it. Remind me of better ways and purer thoughts. When I ask to see your glory, point me to your answers that I may miss if my mind is only set on my definition of what that may look like. Help me to see your glory in the sunrise, in a child’s playfulness and in my husband’s love. Your ways outshine the so very little images I come up with to describe you, but I want to know you more. I want to see your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

Grateful Crowd

I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you. Psalm 35:18

It is important that we speak of the works of God in our lives aloud to each other. When we assemble for worship and fellowship together, these are great times to exalt His Holy name and speak of His marvelous deeds. Gathering for Bible class offers a chance to hear others express their hearts on particular verses and life experiences. It is good to share the great things of God and to make Him even more famous and honored in the eyes of those around us. There is always some way we can praise God and thank Him for His gifts that never cease.

When we are together, we sing of His majesty and goodness. We praise Him in our public prayers and sermons. The power of the greater gathering of people is seen in the kingdom of God. This power grows in our assemblies as we encourage one another and glorify His name.

However, many times, other attitudes grow within us as we, like fretful children, complain about the church services or the people or our spiritual deficiencies, we think are caused by not having things done our way.

Why not, instead, grow up and spend intentional time praising our Father’s name to each other and show a lost world how great is our God by our words and actions. We must speak of the times He rescued and delivered us from our trials or tell of how we have faith that He will deliver us in the future (according to His timing and will).

When I cry out to God along with my church, I look around and deeply love them. We all belong to Jesus and are His. We all have been forgiven, and for that reason, we all can forgive each other and work through our issues with a big God.

Together, we gratefully seek HIM when we are being confronted by His enemies. Daily we ask for His rescue and deliverance, and we thank Him for all He has done and is doing.

Father, unite your church together as one. Help us even in our differences to respect and love one another. Move us to proclaim your Holy name. We thank you for all your wondrous words and deeds. We honor your name and bow to you as one body. In Jesus name, Amen.

Forgiven – Deeply Blessed

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1

The things that make us happy are personal to the individual aspects of who we are and what we like. Generally, however, we all enjoy having a greater sense of well-being, both in body and mind. Certainly, we wouldn’t object to a nice inheritance from a relative. And who would turn down the praise and applause of our employers, peers and fellow-workers?

Yet, somehow, the word “blessed” seems to go deeper than health, wealth and esteem.

Embracing a prodigal-son-like humility, a repentant man cannot help but feel an intangible and almost otherworldly depth of blessing when he knows with confidence that his sins have been forgiven and covered over once and for all. His sins have become invisible to God. He gets a clean slate, a do over. He is treated as if he has never sinned.

Is there anything more desirous, more lovely or more profound than God’s grace?

If I gain wealth, the burden of sin (for sin, indeed is a burden) would still feel heavy to me. If people loved and treated me well, unconfessed transgression would still knock at the door of my heart, waiting to be pardoned.

Forgiveness, mercy and grace are the most beautiful words heard around the globe.

King David (the author of today’s psalm) sinned greatly, sin upon sin and even kept silent about it (as is mentioned later in chapter 32). We too, at times, miss the better ways of God, taking our own ‘unfettered,’ wild, wayward and crooked paths, sometimes even foolishly rebelling or sometimes simply taking God’s glory onto ourselves. We suffer the consequences both from the sin itself and from keeping quiet about it. Yet, in forgiveness there is a deep freedom and is ours for the asking. No matter our past sins, we can enjoy sweet fellowship with the Father of lights.

I was 10 years old on the day I was baptized. When I came up out of the waters, I felt so clean and new. There was no doubt in my mind that I would EVER sin again. My childlike mind had eyes only for my Savior, Jesus. Of course, sin came back in to entangle me many times since then. I have given into its rule and have felt the weight of darkness in my soul. But instead of letting it take me down, I rise once again like that little child, inside the kind grace of the Lord, and turn back in mind and spirit to His pleading call for my life.

Staying in the word, in prayer and in fellowship with a community of believers has helped me to recognize the sins of my heart. The solution to sin is confession and pure repentance: a changed life!

Lord, I gladly partake of your blessed forgiveness and my heart is at rest. I come into the light, unlike Adam and Eve who hid themselves from you. The work ahead is great and I am ready to follow you anywhere with all my heart. Instruct me in the way I should go. Help me to never leave your side. In Jesus name, Amen.