Who Has That Glory?

 
It's that time of year again when we begin to see baby fawn. My

early morning fawn spotting drives have begun!

In a recent Sunday School lesson titled, "Justified by Faith," I was stumped when I read this sentence: "The glory of God can be defined as His presence with His people." I think it was the word "defined" that stopped me.

When I think about God's Glory my attention immediately goes to His creation and all of nature. He is glorious in all He does, miraculous in what He performs, and I couldn't relate to His presence being with His people as a good definition.

The teacher who wrote the words was explaining Romans 3:23 as it related to the study for that day: "For all have sinned and falls short of the glory of God."

I was baffled. How did the writer get God's glory defined as His presence with His people through that Scripture verse? I asked about the sentence during class. Our teacher said he'd stopped at that word "defined" too. He suggested God indwells in us and shows Himself through us by displaying His glory. If we continually sin, His presence cannot be seen.

Then the other morning I was reading in Anne Graham Lotz's book, "The Joy of My Heart." The title of the devotion was: "Display Cases for God's Glory." She shared these words: "The glory of God is within you and me through the Spirit of God, who indwells us when we receive Jesus Christ by faith as our personal Savior and Lord!"

The Scripture verse Lotz was working from is 1 Corinthians 3:16: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" She wrote: "You and I are the display cases for God's glory as His living temple. When others look in your display case, what do they see?"

It's difficult to think you are a display of God's glory. Yet, He did create you. He also saved you and filled you with Him. He also gave you a gift(s) to use to serve Him. 

I then remembered an article I wrote for my church's newsletter about the glory of God. I pulled it up and saw these words that I wrote near the end: "One of the major displays of God’s Glory today is one not often discussed or thought about. It is the work He does in ordinary people like you and me. When we remember the person we were before we were saved and recognize all God has done in us since that time, we can only shake our heads in wonderment. I sometimes say to myself, 'Who am I?' when I think of all God has done in my life."

I still don't like the word "defined" as to us representing God's glory. He is just beyond anything I can imagine. 

Oh, how I wanted this snap to be clear! But it just doesn't always happen.

I love it when I see triplets!

It's a weighty thing to consider. It makes you want to consider all you do, what attitude you do it in, and whether you do it with joy or with an attitude. 

Who has that glory? We do. That's something to think about.

By His Grace . . .