"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Shekinah Glory

The term "Shekinah Glory" is one that I haven't thought about in 20 or more years. The term popped into my head while I was at a funeral a few weeks ago.  And it has continued coming to mind over the last several days.  I thought, Perhaps this is something that the Lord wants me to write about on my blog...The only problem was that I couldn't remember what it meant.  I decided that I should do some research on it since I felt sure that the Lord had been bringing it to my mind.

Skekinah Glory is the Hebrew term for God and His abiding presence!  It isn't found in scripture but is found in other outside Hebrew documents.  There is a derivative of it in the Old Testament though which translates "to dwell".    Just like God, Himself, dwelt in the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of clouds by day,  His glory dwells in His Son, Jesus Christ.  As it says in John 1:1 and 14, " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" and "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV)

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,  and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.  He is the head over every power and authority."  Colossians 2:9-10 (NIV)

"At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. "  Luke 21:27 (NIV)

"I'm praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me.  The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.   Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.  The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are—I in them and you in me.   Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me.  Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world.  Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission.  I have made your very being known to them—Who you are and what you do—And continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them."  John 17:20-26 (The Message)

The funny question is, why am I thinking about it now?  Why did it keep popping into my head even when I didn't remember what it meant?  Do you think He wants us to remember that He is with us,  that He is present and always in control even when we don't see it or feel it?  And that most of all, He, Himself, dwells in His Son, and in us through His Holy Spirit? Amen!

Dear Lord,  Thank you for Your abiding presence.  Help us to remember that you are always with us even when we don't see you or feel you. Thank you that You dwell among us and that we have beheld Your glory, glory as of the only begotten.

Image courtesy of Photobucket.com.

No comments:

Post a Comment