Glory

Feb 5, 2021

"For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son… And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him… and He gave them right standing with Himself… and He gave them His Glory."

- St. Paul, Romans 8:29-30

"Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and the gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will discover Fire."

- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Last week I watched a video of my five year old granddaughter, Roux. She was costumed up like Wonder Woman with a long purple cape and mask and she was poised high up on top of a bright, multi-colored, Bouncy House Slide. Suddenly, with a mighty leap, she jumped. In slow-mo, her silk cape flowing out behind her and with her arms flailing about wildly she yelled, "Geronimoooo!"... or something to that effect. But she definitely looked like "more than a conqueror!"

The scene brought back childhood memories of tying a towel around my neck with a safety pin (where were my parents?) and running in the backyard while leaping off small ledges like Superman yelling,

"Here I come to Save the Day… That means that Mighty Mouse is on his way!"

I had the Look of a Superhero, for sure… but I was still afraid of the dark. You ever experience that disconnect? Who we are on the outside just doesn't seem to jive with who we know we are on the inside? I mean… we’ve got the Look… but something vital is missing on the inside.

The Apostle Paul makes a remarkable statement in verse 30 when he declares that God "gave us His Glory." Wow!

So, we’ve got the look of a superhero, but I wonder… do we have the interior heart of a warrior?

We live in such a noisy time when the distracting sounds and images of social media and incessant iPhone usage keep us from truly knowing ourselves… ‘cause silence can be terrifying! I mean, if you really stop… and I mean really stop… and sit in silence for any length of time, you will have to listen to what's going on inside of you. And this can be frightening!

Consider asking yourself the following questions and write down whatever comes to your mind. Get rid of the edit button. Listen. Reflect.

What is frustrating me right now?

What am I angry about?

What am I scared of?

What am I dreading?

What am I anxious about?

What's keeping me up at night?

What am I looking forward to...

Today?

Tomorrow?

Next Year?

Now… Remember that the God "who chose you" to be His son/His daughter… the God who "called you to come to Him"... the God who "put His Glory on you"... the God who knows you best and loves you most… the God who "made you more than a conqueror"... This God will close the gap between how you look on the outside and how you feel on the inside by putting His Spirit within you. God said,

"I have bestowed strength on the warrior."

- Psalm 89; 19

Soooo.... don the purple cape, put on the mask, jump tall buildings in a single bound… because the God who put His Glory on you has also put His Spirit within you!