“but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” 1 Peter 1:15
St. Francis de Sales said, “Some men become proud and insolent because they ride a fine horse, wear a feather in their hat or are dressed in a fine suit of clothes. Who does not see the folly of this? If there be any glory in such things, surely the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor.”
We all strive for the glory of God in our lives. And, indeed, God’s glory is something well worth striving for. However, the key to my experience of God’s glory is not found in my presentation but in his presence and a retreat from my significance.
The manifest glory of God is found in total submission to his holiness. God is holy. The word holy means consecrated, sanctified and unique. God is supremely unique: there is nothing like God – his splendor, righteousness, majesty – in all the universe! When people enter the glory of God, they will experience his holiness. And God’s holiness greatly challenges their fallen state.
The prophet Isaiah experienced the glory of God. He describes it like this: “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (This robe was the glory of God.) “Above him stood the seraphim. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’”
Then he says the temple shook at the revelation of God’s majesty and the house was filled with smoke. Smoke or clouds are often evidence of the glory of God. Then no tice Isaiah’s response: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Do you desire to experience more of God’s glory? I do. Do you have a yearning to come under the influence of his Holy Spirit and dwell in his temple? I do. Do you have a passion to reveal God’s majesty in your life? I do. If this is true then let us admit to our sin and confess it to God, as Isaiah did.
Let’s submit to God’s majesty allowing our lips to be touched by the fire of his holiness, drawing near to his throne by the blood of Jesus. May we not strut about like the insolent man on his fine horse. Rather, may we set our eyes on Jesus, seeking his glory and being holy as he is holy.