Glory is a God word. The angels proclaimed it on a lonely hillside outside of Bethlehem to shepherds guarding their sheep, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men” they said. Merriam-Webster defines it as “worshipful praise, honor and thanksgiving” and that is what it was.

The angels were announcing a pivotal event that would change the world! The Savior had arrived and unlike ever before the Lord of Glory, the Creator God Himself, the Alpha and Omega was on Earth in human form as a vulnerable little baby in a manger!

He did not have to come to earth, he owed nothing to mankind, but nevertheless he came as the song says, “Down from His glory, ever living story, our God and Savior came, and Jesus was His Name. Born in a manger to His own a stranger, a man of sorrows, tears and agony”. Why the sorrow, tears and agony? Because He grew up to be “Despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and aquainted with grief” (Isaiah Chp 53:3) and He had His sight set on a hill called Golgotha where His work as Savior for us would culminate.

Psalm 24 declares His position as Creator proclaiming, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.” It also refers to His purity, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?”

Glory is a God word. The Triune God will not share His glory with lowly sinful man unless as Psalm 24 goes on to require,“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.” The clean hands and pure heart come as a result from the cleansing and forgiveness of the New Birth when one receives Christ as Savior. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things become new” (2 Cor 5:17). But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18).

So this Christmas let us join with the Angels and the Psalmist proclaiming, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory!”

Yes, Glory is a God word, but God want’s the Glory of His Son to be spread around the world in lives transformed by his Grace, Love and Forgiveness. So let us “Shine Jesus shine, Fill this land With the Father’s glory. Blaze Spirit blaze, Set our hearts on fire. Flow river flow Flood the nations With grace and mercy. Send forth Your word Lord And let there be light!”

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