Glory and Goodness

   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?

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

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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

 
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