Glory and Walmart?

I had a great day driving around Seattle today, partly because there is only one Walmart even remotely close to me (yes, the single man must have his Walmart) and because it sometimes is cheaper to drive to locations to buy the product you need (i.e. movie tickets) then it is to pre-order them online :-)

While on my drive I got to hear a message by Tim Keller entitled "The Gospel for Yourself" where he speaks of glory as being "weightiness." Or in other words, when God shows up he truly shows up! What might have been a concept of God is now complete REALITY! This was what Isaiah went through in Isaiah 6. God was no longer a concept to him, though he truly did believe God existed. God had now become true REALITY; who He really was, full of glory, was right in front of Isaiah!

First off, this made me think about how often I make God out to be a concept, usually one that I easily can adapt into MY Life, and how I want Him to bless, give out and react to me. But in fact, to believe God in concept is truly to believe another gospel, a LIE. God has not shown Himself in concept, but in REALITY. He did so to Isaiah around 3000 years ago, and I get to glean from such a moment in history! Think about it, God visiting earth in all His glory, with the angels present before Him singing HOLY! HOLY! HOLY! I can't imagine. But the point is how Isaiah responded and how I should be responding to God's presence, Him truly showing up and bringing His glory into my life!

Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips (I am way worse than I thought I was, my sin is utterly sinful!) and I dwell with a people of unclean lips (we are all in the same predicament, we are all completely lost, sinful people)

And the angel brought a piece of fire (not to judge but to cleanse) and touched my lips, ...and said your sins are atoned for and your guilt is taken away (the good news that I will not receive my just judgment for my sin!). Then Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me!"

Jesus Christ and Him crucified on my behalf is what God's glory revealed to Isaiah that day, and that's the same message of glory I have received from God! That His glory has shown up, and instead of being consumed I have been covered by the blood of Jesus! Instead of a fire to bring judgment, the fire brings cleansing! My sins have been atoned for, and my guilt has been completely taken away! What a good message we have to bring to people! This is the message of God's glory!

In my reading of 2 Thessalonians today, the same message of glory kept popping up.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:11-12)


To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2:14)

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be glorified, as happened among you,
(3:1)

And I've been thinking more and more lately, that my life is about revealing the kingdom of God to everyone I come in contact with (and not creating the kingdom of Paul while I'm here); revealing the True REALITY of God, in all His GLORY (weightiness). And this revealing of Himself came in the form of Christ on the cross. This is the story that gave strength and vigor to Isaiah as he was SENT by God; this is the same story He has SENT me out to proclaim. Not out of duty, but out of delight!

Sheer delight, because I was once flat on my face, buried in the mud, held in judgment in comparison to God's glory and holiness! Yet, Jesus paid for my sin! Jesus has died in my place; He has taken the wrath of God upon Himself so that I wouldn't have to bear that! And any guilt from sin, He has removed completely! How can I not delight in this!