GLORY!

Psalm 29
The Voice of the Lord:
--is over the waters --thunders --is powerful --full of majesty --splinters the cedars of Lebanon –divides flames --makes tress skip like a calf --shakes the wilderness

Psalm 29:9
“The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, ‘Glory!’”

The VOICE of the Lord is attributed with all these mighty acts. The weakest part of man. What can man do with his voice that physically exerts force of a noticeable kind?

How LARGE the temple of the Lord must be!!! And they all shout, “GLORY!!” United in one voice. What else can those in His temple proclaim? What else would they want to declare? We are to go there one day. His people ARE His temple. I am being fashioned into His temple. I will be among those exclaiming, “GLORY!”

Where will my strength come to do that? My knees, banging together – my hands begin to sweat and as the pulse of my heart begins to race, the blood rushes to my head.
I feel weak and rather sickly. I fall to the floor while all the cries of glory continue to ring throughout His temple.

Should I be here? Do I belong?! I am unworthy to behold such resplendent glory. Who is this King – strong and mighty -- who needs to but speak and all is destroyed and melted away? YET He paid for us to come into His presence. He PAID for me to see His glory and be so moved at His holiness in order to show Himself great because there is no name above His name. The One who should destroy preserves.

One approaches me. I cannot and do not raise my head from the floor. I can feel His eyes staring at my form. I sense that He is moving forward. I wait in expectation. Instead of wrathful fury, He reaches out to touch my shoulder. It is the Lord!

All at once my body is straightened with reverential awe. I want to fall further down before Him and yet, I want to run into His arms and see Him. I cannot move. He knows my every thought, hope, all the idle words I have spoken, all the sins I have ever committed. I think I am shaking. What will His holy righteousness do to me? What will happen when I look? Will I melt away? What does He look like?! I long to praise Him with the multitudes, but I cannot move.

He speaks.

The voice! The thunderous, moving like the mighty rushing waters voice! That powerful and supreme voice!!

“I AM that I AM who gave up all the glories of heaven for your sin. I AM that I AM who died to take the wrath of God for you. I AM that I AM who is love. Before me there are no other gods. Stand up! Your sins are for ever removed. I have clothed you. There is no more fighting the flesh. There is no more tears before me. You have endured to the end. Stand and worship your God.”

Instantaneously, I rise; strengthened by His assurance, I stand and see Him and only want to fall again. My God who I pained, doubted, fought to pursue and love; my faithful, holy, righteous, obedient, sacrificing God. The Alpha and the Omega, my Creator, my Righteousness, my Savior, my Judge, my Lord, my Father, my Love – I see Him at last and am changed permanently and forever. I know Him as He knows me. I will dwell in His presence for ever more! Praise the name of Jesus!

All bow their knees before Him and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and as one voice the multitude in the temple cries out, “GLORY!”