Pilgrimage of Grace and Glory

The new year quietly slipped in and I still ponder the words of a poem I penned last year…

My heart resolves to seek  His face

To find his glory and his grace

Bowing down to touch the ground

I lay my head on earth’s cold soil

For in the darkness beneath what’s seen

Mystery grows and waits to reveal

New glories to astound this God seeking heart

He asked the question, “Do you see when you look?”  The wise men, they saw the glory of The One True King, full of grace and truth.   So for 2010 God invites me to look into His grace and glory.

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

Grace came first…God’s Riches At Christ Expense.  God’s glory in the face of Christ.  Jesus paid it all to lavish on me the grace and glory of the Father.   He longs to extravagantly extend this same blessing to all.

There have been obstacles to His glory.  He has overcome them as He directs and leads me out of fear.   God has called me to freedom and I must Step Up and into His direction for my life.  Sometimes the step up is a journey climbing and crawling over obstacles.   I am always listening for His voice.

I was even hearing God at Six Flags as he called me to radical obedience flowing in grace.  He has moved me out of my hermit cottage, allowing this introvert to bloom at bit.  By His grace I facilitated a ladies Bible study and His glory shone strong in the hearts of the women I took the journey with.  He allowed me the privilege of helping plan the ladies fall retreat.  His grace and glory, His presence there among these women was so obvious, present, and sweet.  This racial obedience is steering me further out.

Stained by His Glory…these words have resounded in my ears all year.   Jesus has cleansed me by His grace and I will be forever stained by His glory.  I have been eternally changed by the Creator of the universe. 

Dwelling in His Glory…He sets the stage for the next step along this yearly pilgrimage path.  I continue to find the one whom my heart loves and I am so grateful He invites me to dwell in His grace and glory.   His grace and glory, they go hand and hand.   God extends His lavish grace cleansing and covering all my sins, my failures, my fears.  What follows is His glory as He indwells me with His light, calls me His daughter, and gives me a new nature.  I have seen His glory and He is full of grace and truth.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14