Glory Hunting

Remember the "good old days"? I bet you do. I hear that from people quite often. Normally they are lamenting some aspect of today's culture or state of affairs. The term "good old days" typically brings some connotation with it that somehow those days were better, or easier, or holier than today. I understand the sentiment, but I also think that the past is over-glamorized and often sensationalized. See, our memories are selective and defective. We remember what we want to as being good, and we minimize parts of past reality that don't fit in our "good old days" scheme. Truthfully, the good old days weren't really as good as we remember, and sure weren't as easy as we like to claim. Sometimes we refer to these days as the "glory days". We do this a lot in church, we seem to love how great things used to be, while forgetting how hard they actually were then too!

I have been leading a small group and worship series this month on the topic of Glory, in particular God's glory as it was manifested in the Old Testament and how this glory is manifested today. I am more and more realizing that every day is a "glory day" if that is where my focus is. What I mean is that God's glory is as much relevant and observable and active and present today as it was 20, 100, or 1000 years ago. Sometimes we just don't see it. It's not because it's not there, it's because we aren't here, we aren't actively present in our own lives sometimes. That's because we are either reminiscing about how great things used to be, or anticipating how great things might be, that we are missing how great things are, and how great Thou are in the midst of everything else.

So, here's what I am thinking. For 14 days, 2 full weeks, I want to be intentional about realizing and seeing and feeling the glory of God in my life. I wonder if you will join me? For 14 days can we be intentional, in the midst of debates and hurricanes and hate and pain and loss and grief to also realize that the glory of God is still here with us....even in us? Colossians 1:27 says that God has chosen to make this realization known, that Christ is in us, the "hope of glory". There is glory around us radiating from the Source and Creator, and there is glory in us, placed there to radiate from us.

Even as I write this, I know that last night was a presidential debate, and (possibly more importantly) the Dodgers lost Game 4 of the NLCS. But there is still glory today. So I just started outside this morning while taking the kids to school looking for His glory. 

First I heard it in conversation with my 3 teenagers. Granted, they were talking about the previous night's debate, but they had their own personal and theological convictions that they were talking about in light of what they had heard.  It gave me a minute to be reminded that no US President has the final word of humanity's destiny, that alone is in the hands of King Jesus. I also heard on the radio that it's not about the elephant or the donkey, it's about the Lamb. I believe every American should vote their conscience after much time in prayer (more listening than talking here), but I also believe that God is still active and that his glory is still paramount and available.

Then I noticed the sunrise. I do this often, but today I intentionally stopped for a minute (I wasn't driving) and looked at this amazing natural daily occurrence in the lens of looking for God's glory. And I saw it. The sunrise today was a soft and warm pinkish-blue that was a gentle and peaceful start to the day. Sometimes our days start out too rushed and hurrried, it's no wonder we don't see (or feel) the glory of God on those days.

Psalm 19:1 says "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands".

I want to be a Glory-Seeker for the next 14 days...and who knows, maybe then it will actually be something that I do everyday, first thing to start my day. That is my prayer. And if you want to go Glory-Seeking with me for the next 2 weeks that is my prayer for you also. I know this won't be easy. There will be many circumstances and events that come up to try to pull you away from your Glory-Hunt. There will be words that come out of your mouth that are not glorifying to God and you will think "how can I be Glory-filled when I feel/think/talk/act this way?" There will be people who will cause you to question this Pursuit of Glory. 

But stay intentional, stay focused. Keep your eyes on Jesus, keep your eyes open for the Glory, and you will see it, and then capture it in that moment. Relax, breathe it in, this moment of Glory is from God to you, and for God to you, and through Christ "in you". 

So let's get started. I Spy God's Glory in.......