Reflecting God’s Glory

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Hiking In Montana

I love hiking! The summers in Montana are brilliant and hiking through the mountains, amongst the wildflowers, brings me great joy. Through my battle with Lyme Disease, I thought I would never hike again. I would sit by the window in my living room and look at Saddle Peak of the Bridger mountain range. My life of hiking and running had come to a complete halt, and grief would flood my heart when I would look at the mountains and think of never hiking again.

But God…

He is so much bigger than I could ever imagine. This past summer I hiked Saddle Peak, and I made it to the top. It took all day, and I shed many tears. The climb was much harder than I ever expected, but the views were breathtaking. The best part was having my son and his girlfriend walking beside me and encouraging me the entire way.

What I thought was an eight-mile hike was ten and a lot more up than I expected. I had counted creek crossings, so when I turned around to go back, I could count down how many I had left. 10… 7…..4…. then two and I could not wait to get to the last one. The joy I had felt at the top had quickly dissipated as my sweet dog and I could barely walk the last two miles. I felt pain in places I did not know existed. My hips hurt, the bottoms of my feet burned, and I wanted to eat so badly. My legs had grown so shaky the final creek crossings were a concern. When we arrived at the trailhead, the last twenty steps to the car felt like another ten miles.

Reflecting God’s Glory

This was the complete opposite of Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai. He had spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain with the Lord, with no food or water. He spent those days completely sustained by God and encapsulated by His presence. When Moses came off the mountain and approached the people, he was unaware that his face was glowing. The scripture even says they backed away from him because they were afraid.

“When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.”

Exodus 34:29 NLT

His Face Shines Like The Sun

The Bible gives multiple descriptions of God and Jesus, and that His face shines like the sun. In Matthew, we read of the transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on the mountain and Jesus transforms before them.

“As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.”

Matthew 17:2 NLT

“As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.” Matthew 17:2 NLT Click To Tweet

In Revelation, we have two more examples.

“He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.”

Revelation 1:16 NLT

“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.”

Revelation 10:1 NLT

Moses had been in the presence for so long that he, too, radiated this light. He reflected God’s glory. He shone so brightly that he had to wear a veil to cover his face. When he would go be with God, he would remove the veil.

Radiating Joy

Have you ever been around people that just radiate joy? There is a countenance about them that draws you close. You want to be around them. There are homes you can enter and you want to stay because they have a peaceful feel that is welcoming. I can’t help but think these people and these homes are this way because they reflect God’s glory.

I have put together a list of ways you can easily incorporate more of this into your day-to-day life.

1. Be in the Word

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NLT

Reading our Bibles regularly draws us closer to Him. Through His Word, He guides our path and speaks to us. The days I get up a little earlier and read, I feel more hopeful and focused on Him throughout the day.

If you don’t feel you have time to read, you can download the Bible and listen to it each time you are in the car or while you are getting ready in the morning.

There are several Bible apps that allow you to listen to the Bible. I like Audible because there are a couple Bibles that are done dramatically.

Try Audible Plus

I also love writing the word. I love these journals because you write the scripture and then journal what God revealed to you through His word.

2. Be In Prayer

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Prayer should be a two-way conversation. It is a time to praise Him, thank Him, offer Him what is on your heart, but also a time to listen and hear what He wants to share with you.

Prayer should be a two-way conversation. It is a time to praise Him, thank Him, offer Him what is on your heart, but also a time to listen and hear what He wants to share with you. Click To Tweet

Do you also feel like there is not enough time in the day? Pray in everything. When you wash dishes, praise Him for who He is. When you vacuum, thank Him for your blessings. If you go on a walk, spend the first part of it in prayer and listen for what He may want to say. I used to feel guilty because I would pray at the end of the day and fall asleep during the prayers. Then one day, a woman who radiates God’s glory shared with me that falling asleep in prayer is like falling asleep in the Father’s arms. I love that.

3. Be With Other Believers

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”

Colossians 3:16 NLT

God created us for community. We need each other. Even the most introverted person needs to share time with others. When we come together and share testimonies of God’s goodness, share about what He said in prayer, or share a scripture that spoke to us, we build each other up.

If you need this type of fellowship, you are always welcome to join my Facebook group I mentioned above. You can join a Bible Study or prayer group. There are so many options out there it is almost overwhelming.

If you have other suggestions or ways you incorporated more time with God into your life, please share it below in the comments.

The more we are in His word, and spend time in prayer, and the more we invite Him into our day to do life, and encourage one another, the more we too will radiate His glory. I pray we grow so close to God that together we will light the earth with His glory.

"I pray we grow so close to God that together we will light the earth with His glory." Click To Tweet