May 24 2009
Glory to Glory and Strength to Strength
I’ve often wondered what these words mean. But I’m beginning to understand–to get a glimpse of how God intends His children to live. He wants us to be so consumed with His presence, power, provision and protection–to be so confident in who He is–that nothing else matters.
And when that happens, His peace covers the situation entirely. I had a sudden revelation recently. My Christian walk has, in many ways, been centered around me, rather than centered around the Lord. May God forgive me! I never saw it before, but I see it clearly now. He was in my life, and a very important part of it, not certainly not the end all and be all of my existence. But praise God that’s changing, and He’s being patient, enabling me to understand this concept.
These days my heart melts in His presence, realizing what He gave up for me. That He willingly gave up His deity and kingship to exchange places with humans for my benefit is unthinkable. I certainly wouldn’t have done that for people who would reject me. Would you?
I doubt that any of us would’ve even considered it knowing the outcome. And yet He stepped out of glory to endow us with that same glory, and once we “get it” we go from glory to glory, merely by focusing on Him and His great love for us. If we’re discerning spiritual things in our day we can see things crumbling rapidly around us, and yet as we look up, our hope is greater than ever, our excitment unparalleled because we know He’s coming soon and that before that day we will see His miraculous power revealed before our very eyes.
And that enables us to walk in strength. And not only that but we draw near, gaining strength from His Spirit who carries us when we’re too tired to march on. Isn’t that an amazing word picture? We have our marching orders, and we walk alongside Him, but when we’re weak, weary or discouraged, He lifts and carries us!
As I grow older I need to be carried more than I did before, and that knowledge doesn’t encourage me, but I am encouraged to know that Psalm 28 says He draws near to the needy, the brokenhearted, the wounded and the weary, and carries them when they can’t go on.
We serve an awesome God. We really do. He feels the very pains we feel, the hurts we encounter, the struggles we face, and in those situations, He strengthens us, heals us, and cheers us on toward the goal.
Jesus is coming soon, so let’s not be weary in well doing, but draw near to Him–for that’s where our strength lies, and we’re going to need Him more than ever!
Because of His great love,
Nancy
