Glimpses of His Glory

From my bedroom window I can look through the leafy branches of my avocado tree and see the high-rise hotels of Waikiki and the office buildings of downtown Honolulu. It's quite a view, but mostly at night with the sparkling lights. Many of my neighbors, who have lived on this hill since the houses were built, lament over the loss of view of green parkland and sandy beaches being gently washed by ocean waves. I can understand their loss. I have lived long enough to see the replacement of the natural beauty of my island home with "concrete jungle" and the 6th worst traffic of any city in America (USA Today, March 22, 2016).

As a child growing up I remember lush greenery, fragrant flowers, clear blue skies, puffy white clouds that took on amazing shapes, and showers that gave way to magnificent rainbows. God’s magnificent creation was evident all around me. It was easy to glimpse the glory of God when my world was filled with it.
 
Today, the less than glorious skyscrapers, the freeways winding through the heart of the island, and congested downtown traffic easily distract me from thoughts of the glory of God. But working on my Bible study lesson last week, I read in Revelation 22:3-5, And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no more night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
 
The words leaped out at me, "They shall see His face". I will see His face! I will behold the fullness of His gory! What a thought! What a promise! It has been ringing through my mind and resonating in my heart all week long! I will see the Lord, serve Him, and reign with Him in all His glory and with no worldly, man-made distractions.
 
The joy of grasping these promises has led me to seek His glory in the world around me. I pulled myself out of bed early one morning to drive to the shore to watch God's sun rise; I walked through the park at the top of my hill and felt small but protected under God's towering Ironwood trees and Norfolk Island pines; I walked my dog by the seashore, let the clear, cool waters wash over my feet and bury my toes in the sand, and I savored the fragrant salt air. And God showed me a magnificent rainbow! I know that all these are mere glimpses of His glory. Here we see Him as in a mirror dimly. But then we will see Him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12)!
 
I have discovered that I love searching out glimpses of His glory in this fallen world. What glimpses of His glory have you seen today? Even if you live in a concrete city, far from the countryside, ocean, or mountains, He will show you glimpses of His glory! I know He will! I discovered this week that the very best place to glimpse His glory is in His Word. There we find the glory of His creation, the glory of His Law, the glory of His care for His people, the glory of salvation, the glory of His promises! As believers, our hope is the ultimate glory of seeing Him face to face, but in the meantime we may partake of the blessing of the glimpses of His glory. I think I have become a glory seeker in the world around me, but most of all in Gods Word. Will you join me?
 
With love,
Suzie  

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