Small Glory Places

If you’re claiming His name, then give Him the fame.  All glory to you Lord our God and Maker. Make His name glorious. Praise His glorious name forever!  Let the whole earth be filled with His glory.  Amen and Amen! Psalm 72:19

It’s not the size of the church building that reveals God’s glory, but instead God’s glory is revealed through the hearts of those created in His image.  We, His glorious sons and daughters, who are His church, have been created in God’s image to bring glory to His name.  The latin term “Soli Deo gloria” fits – all glory to God alone!

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name goes all the glory for Your unfailing love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1

God’s glory was birthed in a small, obscure place.  Jesus, the Savior of the world, and the glorious image of God our Heavenly Father, was born in a barn on the back side of a desert (Luke 2:11-14; John 1:14). To this day, God still births His glory in small, obscure and not necessarily the most “glorious” places.  His glory is birthed within surrendered human hearts – yes, as imperfect and broken as we are.  His glory is being released in small places throughout the earth to this day through our gifts, our deeds of service, and our works.  As God imparts His restoration to us, we are called to play a part in the restoration of the glory of His name throughout the earth.

Arise and shine, My glorious ones.  Do you hear The Father’s calling?  Surrender all of your heart, mind, body, soul and spirit to Him.  You were created for His glory son and daughter of The Most High God.  You are His glorious ones in the earth.

Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you.  Isaiah 60:1-2 (The Living Bible)

…I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.  Isaiah 55:5 

 

God desires His glory to be birthed first within our hearts – the hidden place that others cannot see.  Often, the environments or circumstances we find ourselves in may more closely resemble the dirtiness of a hay-filled barn, and, frequently, the thoughts, attitudes, and desires of our hearts and the behaviors that flow from within are a reflection of everything opposite of God’s glory.  Yet, God desires to make our hearts His home – the dwelling place of His Spirit, and God has chosen us as vessels of His glory.  

 

The sun, the moon, the stars, the trees, the mountains and the oceans shout of the glory of God.  His majestic and beautifully creative nature are clearly visible to all.  The heavens declare the glory of God and the whole earth is full of His glory! (Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 6:3)  Likewise, every man, every woman, every child, every individual – all who are a part of the human race – are a reflection of God’s magnificent and creative glory, regardless of the state of our heart. However, releasing more of God’s glory through our attitudes and behaviors doesn’t just occur because we have been created in The Maker’s glorious image. This is a process. God doesn’t force anything on us.  Our free will allows us to choose.  We must choose to submit to The Spirit’s process of being transformed from glory to glory.  

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.                        2 Corinthians 3:18

What are you beholding today – God’s glory or the not so glorious things of this world?  As we behold the Lord our God through His Word and in worship, the more we become transformed into His image.  Like the old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

 

Read on for more…including questions to ponder and a prayer to pray…

Clearly, we see many whose choices to go their own way and worship the things of this world over God have turned “their glory into shame” – a fulfillment of Hosea 4:7.  We redeemed ones have all taken detours along our journey which preceded the unveiling of some pretty unglorious thoughts, attitudes, desires, speech, habits, etc.  All of us can relate, and Romans 3:23 tells us why:  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Only by and through God’s amazing grace do we have a relationship with Him, and only by relying on the power of His supernatural grace being worked out in our lives can we be conduits for revealing His glory in the earth.

Glory in the dictionary is defined as:  

• honor bestowed, splendor or magnificence, a distinguishing quality, asset or attribute.

Glory as defined in Strong’s Concordance:

• Hebrew word is “kabod” – a verb meaning the weight or worthiness of something, usually used to depict greatness and splendor (Genesis 31:1).  The noun form is translated honor in some instances (1 Kings 3:13).  God’s glory is described in the Old Testament as taking the form of a cloud that was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain (Exodus 24:15-18).  After the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud or the “shekinah glory” of the Lord filled the temple.  The presence of God’s glory was so powerful that the priests could not continue ministering (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Glorious as defined in Strong’s Concordance:  

• Hebrew word “or” meaning “to give light” as in the light from the glory of God’s presence which is to be reflected by His people (Isaiah 60:1-3).

 

Without time alone personally with God, as well as being connected in community to other followers of Christ, the process of unveiling more of God’s glory in our lives will be hindered or even squelched.  When we take time in a hidden setting or secret place – to allow God to show us wounded and broken areas of our heart and soul, our Redeemer and Restorer is faithful to bring the healing and restoration needed to release the glory we were destined and created to display. 

When we submit to gathering together with other believers within the body of Christ – His church – the place of accountability and growth, we are saying “yes” to God completing the process of harvesting the seed of His image He planted within us while we were yet in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139).  Your unique design houses Your Creator’s giftings destined with purpose that He longs to be awakened and burst forth for the glory of His name.

Christ, the hope of glory, resides in every believer.  

 

So, why aren’t we seeing more of God’s glory displayed through His people in the earth?

In order for believers to be transformed into His glorious image, we must choose to participate in the cultivating, watering, and weeding process of the soil of our hearts.  We must be willing to repent, confess our faults, struggles, and sins to others whom have clearly demonstrated they are loving, trustworthy brothers and sisters in the family of God.  We must cooperate with the forging of godly character and opportunities to use our spiritual gifts to edify, strengthen and encourage others.  Cooperating with the Lord’s leading in this manner results in the healing, sharpening, maturing, and equipping of believers.  The marvelous light of Christ uses us human vessels to deliver the goodness of His glory, love, and restoration to a hurting and broken world.

While others may not see our hearts, the Lord knows all the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Acts 15:8).  God desires to do His deepest work in our hearts, so that we might reflect His glory from the inside out.  As we surrender our hearts and lives to The Glorious One, His glorious light begins to outshine all the darkness surrounding us.

Just as Jesus became the firstborn of all mankind displaying the glory of God the Father in the earth, we, now, as His adopted and beloved sons and daughters have been chosen and called to reveal His glory wherever He has placed us on the earth – whether our “place” seems big or small, obscurely hidden away or out in the open for many to see.  The place is irrelevant.  We are called to reveal His glory wherever we are.  

Questions to Ponder:

• Is the glory of God being concealed or revealed in my heart and life?
• Is there room in the “inn” of my heart for God to birth the desires of His heart and His Spirit for the purpose of revealing His glory through me?
• Do I see myself as His glorious and beloved son or daughter?  Or, have I allowed the enemy of my soul or the voices of others to define who I am?
• Am I participating in the demonstration of God’s glory and kingdom work in the earth as a member of His glorious church?
• Am I displaying God’s glory in my life right now where He has placed me?  In my home, at school, in my workplace, etc.?
• Am I spending more time focusing my gaze on social media, the news, entertainment and/or the messages of secular culture than I do worshiping God and meditating on His word?
• What action or step do I need to take today for more of God’s glory to be demonstrated through my life?  An action or step could be any one of the following:
  • offer up a sacrifice of praise and worship
  • forgive someone
  • meet a need
  • encourage a friend 
  • read God’s Word
  • commit to be a part of God’s body through a local church
  • join a Bible study group
  • participate in a local or international ministry outreach
  • complete the ministry God has placed in your heart 
  • pray a heartfelt prayer 
    • God will show us when we ask Him and expect Him to answer.  My recommendation would be praying and then worshiping in God’s presence before taking any other action; actually, this should be our preferred protocol before any “doing” occurs.
    • Note:  Just remember you don’t have to be in a church building to worship.  You can give God thanks and praise anywhere you are.  You can worship Him wherever you are.  Turn on the praise and worship music and enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise from your heart .   Turn to Psalm 100 and use it as a guideline.

A Prayer:

Dear Father, 

Thank You for creating me in Your glorious image.  I am asking, trusting, believing and expecting You to remove everything in my life that hinders your glory being revealed.  Bring cleansing, healing, and freedom from the thoughts, attitudes, and wounds of my soul and spirit.  I renounce all activities and actions that I have participated in that have not honored You or brought glory to Your name.  I thank You for Your amazing love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in my life.  Thank You for paying the price through the blood of Jesus for my healing and restoration.  Thank You for redeeming my life for your glory.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. Hebrews 1:1-3

One day, the light of the sun and the moon will be completely replaced by the light of God’s glory (see Isaiah 60:19, 20; Revelation 21:23; 22:5).  As well, we all eagerly await our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ’s return, who will transform our lowly bodies into His glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21).

Soli Deo gloria – all Glory to God alone!  Amen!

 

Additional Scripture references:   Genesis 1:26; Luke 2:7; 2:14; John 1:14; 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 51; Jeremiah 30:17; Isaiah 54:5; Ezekiel 36:26-30; Matthew 15:16-20; Acts 1:24; 2 Corinthians 4:2-6; 16-17; Colossians 1:15-20