MEDITATION:
Written by Terrell Curry, who works with the Salvation Army. This is an excerpt from The Salvation Army’s Releasing God’s Glory devotional series.
How do we begin to see each other as brothers and sisters? How do we begin to be the Good Samaritan? I believe it starts with an encounter with God’s Glory (Selah)! God’s manifested presence in our lives. The Glory of God, when released, enters into the hearts of people that read, “Do not disturb, Road closed, Dead end, Divided Highway or Danger keep out.” Those are the places in the heart God wants to access in all of humanity. Without the change of heart, the conversion becomes superficial in the life of an individual. God wants our hearts to be fixed on the Eternal not the external. The scripture reminds us to set our heart, on things above and not on things below. It was not until Saul of Tarsus encountered God’s Glory on the road to Damascus, that his heart was changed from being the persecutor of the Church, to becoming the Preacher for the Church. It was not until the Woman at the well encountered God’s Glory, that her life began to drink from the living water, her life adopted a new lifestyle, and her life became a testimony to many. God’s Glory is the remedy to what America and the entire world is facing. God’s Glory has the ability to show you, then touch you and then change you! It was not until God’s Glory was revealed to Isaiah the Prophet, that he saw himself as undone and unclean. But God’s Glory is able to remove all guilt, shame, insecurities, brokenness, abusiveness, deceit, pride, arrogance, hypocrisy, racism, hate, false doctrine, and false teaching. You ask how can God’s Glory be released? I am glad you asked! We have to lift up our heads toward Righteousness, Goodness, Justice, Equity, Love, and Unity. Things will not change until the Church shows up; our communities will not change until the Church shows up; our government and laws will not change until the Church shows up and the injustice will not change, until the Church shows up. It is our response to the wickedness in the world that creates the platform for God’s Glory to be released. In order to release the Glory of God, we must have first experienced it for ourselves.
PRAYER:
Written by Charles Borromeo (1538-1584), a cardinal and archibishop of Milan.
Almighty God, you have generously made known to human beings the mysteries of your life through Jesus Christ your Son in the Holy Spirit. Enlighten my mind to know these mysteries which your Church treasures and teaches. Move my heart to love them and my will to live in accord with them. Give me the ability to teach this Faith to others without pride, without ostentation, and without personal gain. Let me realize that I am simply your instrument for bringing others to the knowledge of the wonderful things you have done for all your creatures. Help me to be faithful to this task that you have entrusted to me. Amen.
Pathways Press.com 