His Glory Appears

"Who is like you among the gods,
O Lord -
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?"
-Exodus 15:11

This heart is soaring, in wild abandonment and crazy joy, as the Lord's glory has been so thick, lately. Something in me is different. Something has shifted, something has been rearranged, rewired...reawakened. It seems as though this change of heart and sudden joy has crept up on me, unexpectedly. Like the formation of a river, i know this reawakening has taken time - while glimpses of hope and the Lord's work were seen every once in awhile, i felt like my heart was dormant and doomed in the darkness. And yet, the Lord is so incredibly faithful. His light has shattered that darkness; His presence provided abounding joy.

The season of looking inward has long been gone; rather the Lord prompting me to look outward has opened my eyes to the magnificent glories that surround me; He is SO at work in this fallen world. When we marvel at how the Lord is working in others' lives, when we wonder (and sometimes envy, as is only human) how this person can be so close to God, how blessed this other person is that they can sense the Lord's presence, rest assured the Lord is at work in this person's life, and this other person is sharing in His glories, i think we're missing something. Sometimes, all it takes is opening our eyes - letting scales fall off, shedding disbelief and doubt like winter jackets, wiping away the sleep from our eyes, breaking through self-absorption or self-wallowing - to see that the Lord is truly at work in our lives, too. Sometimes, sharing and witnessing the Lord's glories takes patience - You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory - Psalm 73:24. We may have to journey through a season of despair, grief and loss or enter into a desolate and lonely period where the Lord appears absent or unresponsive. But trust, in times that require great patience and heart, His glory WILL appear.

His glory is so apparent at times - on mission trips, in worship/church service, in Bible studies, etc. -when we are tapped in or pressing in to Him. In the mundane routine, the day to day life, we tend to overlook, ignore and forget to acknowledge and look for the Lord's glories. He is always at work, even if we are not aware.

***

I had sat down at the computer tonight to write about camp, the humility of feet washing, the remarkable beauty of new life or the sweetness of divine appointments...yet this is what the Lord has laid on my heart. Whether or not i feel led to write about these topics in the days to come, they all point to God's glory. His ways are perfect, His love is magnificent, His mercies are humbling. The life He gives, His creations, redemption, revival, babies, new beginnings, forgiveness, service, solitude, laughter, divine appointments - all of these are reflections of His glory. GLORY - this is the word that Has been laid on my heart, affirmed by a divine appointment at work today. Glory, glory, glory. All to the Lord. Do you sense it? Do you see it? If not, what is He asking? That you allow Him to open your eyes? That you remain steadfast in Him and have patience?

Glory, Lord. May we see Your glorious presence, your workings around us and within us, as we seek You more and praise You all the days of our lives.


1 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
2 Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
There the Lord will display his glory,
the splendor of our God.
3 With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
4 Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”
5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
and unplug the ears of the deaf..
-Isaiah 35:4-5

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
-Psalm 57:11

Songs to Check Out:
-Show Me Your Glory: Jesus Culture
-His Glory Appears: Hillsong
-Glory of it All: David Crowder Band