Glory

by Macy Johnson

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.”

(Psalm 57:5 NIV)

 

The word glory appears almost three hundred times in the Bible, forty-four times in the Psalms alone. It can be defined as the manifested presence and uniqueness of our Creator God.

 

Every small detail of His creation is significant. God’s Son was born in obscurity. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, “the House of Bread,” was the continuation of the Old Testament story. Angels were sent to tell shepherds, social outcasts, about His arrival. They were chosen to spread the news before returning to their sheep. Nothing fancy, but miraculous nonetheless.

 

My pastor reminded me recently that God’s glory is the opposite of the world’s glory. A famous movie star once said that most actors live for the moment between Action and Cut. The minutes of real life are often only filler for them. It is the same for most sports heroes and musicians, too. After many hours of practice and preparation, the performance passes by in a blur, remembered by some, forgotten by most. The world’s glory is a flash in the pan.

 

I see my heavenly Father in a lone leaf, raindrops, music notes on a page, the smile of a nursing home resident, a bird splashing in a birdbath, a helpless baby’s cry, a cherished voice on the phone, a treasured memory, a deer crossing the road, a friend’s laughter, a string of precious pearls, a “Welcome Back” sign created by grandchildren, a heartfelt post on Facebook, a homeless wanderer, the sun, moon, and stars, and the wind on my face. Where and how do you experience the presence of God? What are your God Sightings?

 

I will look for God’s glory today in the often-ignored people and things around me. I hope you will, too!