In these days of sheltering in place during the outbreak of the Corona virus, life can get boring, especially when we do the same thing everyday, without much changing. The special-ness of our moments can get lost if we have to do the same thing repeatedly – unless we can find a way to see the good. Like Aldous Huxley says: Feasts must be solemn and rare, or else they cease to be feasts.
Consider the idea of looking at gems — if we are looking for diamonds on a glass countertop, they can be hard to find. One good way to appreciate a a jewel is in a black velvet box, where we have some contrast. With our shelter in-place requirement, it is harder to see the diamonds. Similarly, I fear that God’s glory can disappear into the background in our lives. How can we see His glory, in the backdrop of the mundane?
In Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel saw some of the wonder of God, and God handed out a way for the jewels of His glory to be distributed, metaphorically. Ezekiel 10:1-5 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of saphires above the vault that was over the heads of the cherubim. 2 The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in. 3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
When God’s glory if given to man, it is diminished without the backdrop of heaven. On the earth it can be like burning coals. Beautiful and fascinating to see against the darkness; if one touches you, you know it. It changes you and you remember it the rest of your life. Of course, when we are NOT touched by His glory, there is nothing transformative — no sense of his presence, no understanding , and no substance. How can we gain a sense of His presence, internalize our understanding of God, and have a God of substance in our lives?.
An easy way to find the substance, understanding, and presence of God is to see what happens in His absence.
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- God’s Truth is not internalized when He is not in it – E.g., our children have to internalize discipline. I cannot say ‘do not put your hand in the fire’ forever. At some point the child has to learn the truth on his/her own and internalize it. (If they do not, they could lose a hand).
- When God’s truth remains external, His truth will not be able to save us. If we cannot share His truth, we will keep the poor and marginalized where they are — and healing will not occur. When God’s truth touches the marginalized, they are healed.
- We are not self-made.There can be many influencers to bring us out of our despair. In a broken state, it is possible that only God’s understanding and presence can lift us out. God can inspire and create change that pulls us from the edge of despair. God’s glory is at its greatest when we are at our weakest. One terrific example of this greatness in weakness is Derek Anthony Raymond’s story. It is an amazing reminder that the love of the father is truly inspirational.
- God’s silence intensifies when he is not in our lives. This sounds like an obvious truth, but let me explain.
- God’s Truth is not internalized when He is not in it – E.g., our children have to internalize discipline. I cannot say ‘do not put your hand in the fire’ forever. At some point the child has to learn the truth on his/her own and internalize it. (If they do not, they could lose a hand).
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- I think about my adult relationship with my dad as an example. He was never a man that I found easy to talk to. He was not a hugger; he did not express emotion much; and he was in a lot of physical, constant pain in later life. If I did not know about these aspects in our relationship, the silence could have been ‘deafening’, and I could have easily made assumptions and avoided him. If he had been in physical proximity, I could have visited him, and been around him more. I had to recognize that phone calls needed to be short in length . The love was there, and he knew it.. Nevertheless, it was up to me to find ways to bridge the silence.
- God’s love is not separated from me because of His upbringing, His
personality, or His physical issues. Any silence and separation I have with God is because of ME. I have to find ways to maintain my side of the relationship. That means
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- I have to read about Him in scripture so I will know His personality and person.
- I have to live intentionally — in a way that keeps Him prominent and as a point of focus in my life.
- I have to spend time with like minded people who listen and speak truth back to me.
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