Surrounded by Glory
Like most churches, we are in the middle of an Advent series this week. Today’s message was out of Luke chapter 2. I have never heard verse 2:9 in the New Living Translation before, or had just never paid attention. Anyway, this morning I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.
Soak that in for a second. The radiance of his glory. Wow.
What would it be like to have the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounding you? Is it possible that, by his grace, the radiance of his glory is always around us? If it is, do we feel it?
oh yes…it is possible. but no, i dont think we always feel it. we get, too much, in the way. radiance of his glory to me is in his grace and mercy. its in his immeasurable and unending patience with his children. his glory in his creation. amazing how i so often look right past that.
So true, Tam. I know I get in his way all the time. I can’t even imagine what it would be like if I learned to be more patient and allow I’m to do the work in me that he desires. Thanks for sharing.
God does want us to be surrounded by His glory but we are as afraid of it as the shepherds. shekinah glory calls us to action every time. it called israel to move from camping site to camping site… it called the shepherds to come and see what God had done… we want to be comfortable and do what we have always done. even as i write this i am afraid of the desire to be surrounded by God’s glory. i want the nice warm light of grace but i am afraid of the bright glare of shekinah glory that shows me who i am–dirty and weak–and calls me to action anyway.
See also Ezekiel 1:28 and Hebrews 1:3. Those have been pretty influential passages in my life.
Wow, Lauree – that so resonates with me. I want to see God’s glory, but I’m afraid of what the Light will reveal in me and what it will call me to do. I need to do what John the Baptist said “more of Him and less of me.” That way I can see His glory all the time, and get rid of this silly fear.
Lauree – What a great point. I’m often afrais of what God is going to do in my life – both the good and the bad.
Mike – Thank you for those verses!
Kim – Less of me is always hard and something I struggle with all the time. ALL the time.
It’s entirely possible it’s there but I know I don’t feel it most of the time. In fact, it’s been years since I could say I’ve really felt that radiance.
I want that light to come in and flush the crap out of me and make me what He wants me to be. I crave it. I just want to know it’s Him.