Thoughts for the Day

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

What does the word 'Glory' mean in the Bible? Well this is an almost impossible question, but when we look at John, Chapter 17 we have to make a stab at an answer. In the Old Testament 'glory' seems to mean 'heaviness' or 'weight', and it's often used of someone's importance or power. When applied to God it refers to His greatness and to the splendor that comes from him, often described as light. We read in the book of Exodus that God showed Moses His glory, and later we read that 'his face shone' and the people were afraid to come near him, so he was forced to cover his face. While Psalm 19 says 'The heavens declare the glory of God.'

None the wiser yet? Well it has to be said that the word 'glory' is one of those words that are difficult to describe without using an example. For instance, how do you describe 'beauty' without pointing to something and saying "that is beautiful". Or how do you describe the wind, other than to show its affect on something?

In the New Testament 'glory' is shared by God with Jesus because of his sacrifice made for us. When Jesus raises Lazarus from death he says that 'This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' Jesus' death, and Lazarus' healing are both acts that add to God's greatness, and through Him to Jesus. Today, it can refer to God's greatness, His honour, His power, and His majesty. All we can do when we hear the phrase 'God's Glory' is acknowledge all of these, and worship Him.

God of Glory,
God of Might,
God of Power,
God of Light,
God of Majesty,
we worship You as
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
this day, and for ever.
Amen.