And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the
appearance of the glory of the Lord
was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he
went up to the mountain; Exodus 24:17-18
Dear Ones,
Imagine that You are being led into the cloud, of the Presence, of the holy God and are instructed to choose one word to praise Him. What is your choice?
Imagine that You are being led into the cloud, of the Presence, of the holy God and are instructed to choose one word to praise Him. What is your choice?
We would be inexorably speechless, trembling in body and
soul. I cannot grasp God in His glory. The Jews were led across the desert by God’s
glory daily in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
By day the Lord went
ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by
night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day
or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by
night left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:21-22
(II Chronicles 5) I read about God’s glory filling the
temple! The priests, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthen, and their sons and kinsmen, all
clothed in fine linen, came out from the holy place, having sanctified
themselves in obedience to God’s command, to serve in the temple. They had
ready cymbals, harps, and lyres and stood East of the altar. There were 120
priests lined up blowing trumpets in unison.
Place yourself in the crowd of Israelites
and try to imagine what was happening… “And it
came to pass…. when the trumpeters
and the
singers were to make themselves heard with one
voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when
they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments
of music and when they praised the LORD saying, (what word
would you be saying?) “He indeed is good for His
lovingkindness is everlasting,” Then the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that
the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of
the LORD filled the house of God. Solomon said, “The LORD has said that He
would dwell in the thick cloud.
II Chronicles 5:13-14
I was moved that they choose to exalt Him for His goodness! I
was blown away thinking about the fearful responsibility given the priests. Were
they expecting a manifestation of God’s glory to throw them down in terror? They
could not stand because of such glory! Think about what they were saying. Why
did they choose good instead of Holy? I would have thought they would cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy!” but they did not.
I feel it is very revealing that they address His goodness?
Do we not struggle far more with believing God is good, than that He is holy? In
our suffering, what we believe about His goodness is a key to trusting Him
period. And daily affects how we live. To truly believe God is good is
paramount to the choices we make. When God allows or sends suffering our way or
we reap the sin we sow and expect God to deliver us again, we are not so ready
to believe He is good and many turn away in unbelief because He does not act as
we defined He should. It is easier to think of Him as good when things are favorable
and suffering is distant. What we believe about His goodness reveals the truth
of what is in our hearts.
Q: ‘How would it affect me if I truly and deeply believe God
is good? Would I still grumble and complain or treat others with disdain? If
God is all-wise, all-powerful and compassionate, and He is the good, why would
He allow suffering? Is the good He promises to work in our lives, good? Romans
8:28 is often misquoted, leaving off verse 29 which states the ‘good’ God is
working in us.
Will God reveal His glory to a heart that is filled with unbelief?
Before the glory of the LORD filled
the temple the priests began praising Him for His goodness!
Previously I thought I could relate to His goodness, not so
His holiness. I find encouragement to approach ‘goodness’, but unleashed ‘holiness’
would send shivers through me, crushing me. God’s goodness is in a new light because
I see His goodness equated with glory!
And His glory is like His holiness, unapproachable, outside of Christ,
who opened the way to the Holy of Holies. The priests could not stand in the
presence of such glory, and fulfill their duties. The inability to stand is not
an isolated incident in scripture. More than a subtle change takes place from
the Old Testament, to the New Testament where we are told to stand strong in
the LORD. All because we are ‘in’ Christ! Glory to God!
Life is meant to bring a succession of
discoveries of our need of Christ, and with every such discovery the way is
opened for a new inflow of the supply. HF
The Holy Spirit’s power producing
His goodness in us and out of us.
I do not want to miss any ‘good’ or any ‘glory’. If I lose
everything here on earth, and death stakes it’s claim on me or a loved one,
will I surrender to God’s goodness or will I crumple in unbelief, as though God
somehow made a mistake? Oh that we would not miss any opportunity to trust God
is good. All He does is good. His purposes are good, His word is good, and He
lived a perfect and good life. Let’s begin now to tell Him how good He is and then
be prepared to receive His glory. The Holy Spirit produces this very goodness
of God in us and His glory! The very glory that swept the priests off their
feet! Oh my feet are dancing…
Corinthians 3:18
“
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled
faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his
image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the
Spirit. II Corinthians 3:17-18
As the Spirit bears fruit in and through us,
not born of self-effort, but Spirit produced and received by faith, shall His
glory be far behind the fruit of goodness? Let it warm your heart that such an
amazing thing as His goodness and glory would be in us!
There is nothing but goodness Him. Psalm 92:15
Abba, Daddy, Your holiness causes me to tremble.
Your love calls me to draw near. Your goodness is glory. Give me faith to trust
that You are always good. Thank You that You are also glorious! I love you and
pray in the good name of Jesus, amen.
God’s
purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a
passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.” J.
Edwards
for all who come,
az
The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. By evidenceofdesign|
