Glory? What Glory??

Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’

John 11:40

Sometimes we come across a verse we know well, or think we do, and find ourselves asking questions. Jesus was talking to his friends Martha and Mary as they looked at the tomb where Lazarus lay. Soon Lazarus would be raised from the dead, but can our verse be applied to us today? It comes down to this: If we believe, will we be able to see the Glory of God too?

It’s too easy to shy away from this interpretation, and think that it only applied to the power that can raise the dead, especially at our own passing through the gates of heaven, or the second coming but is that it? Is that all? How do you and I as believers see the Glory of God?

When I became serious about finding out about salvation as a 14 year old, my Sunday School teacher Alex Barclay prayed with me, and besides reading from Scripture and encouraging me to read and pray daily, he read from the hymn “Loved with Everlasting Love” which has stuck with me down the years since that life changing night. The words of the second verse resonate even now:

Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!

Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;

Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, Flowers with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.

The Glory of God lives in every aspect of the believer’s life, and is obvious. We may not witness the raising of the dead, but what about some of the things we can sometimes take for granted? A glorious sunrise and sunset, the budding flower, the healing of the sick, saving grace seen in another’s life, the pure love of a husband or wife, the birth of a baby, laughter, tears of joy, song, poetry, or friendship, and the list could go on. Can science measure any of these? No, because feelings and emotions come from within, and as the old hymn says, for the Christian, things become softer, sweeter, gladder, and deeper. Who but God can do these things? The very Glory of God is there for us to find and see when we know Christ!

Some Day You Will!

Maybe not now, but at some time in the future, you will. And you will mean it. Deep down, I think we all have a need that only this will satisfy, and we may not even understand why at the time! During times of stress, or anxiety, or loss, or happiness, or sadness, or guilt, we will find our minds turning to this, and it works for all. Old and young, male and female, rich and poor. We are all equal when big things happen in our lives, and that's because we are all human. Not only that, but people of ALL faiths, and even NO faith will do it!


When you go through a tough time especially, you don't want to sound like a complainer, so you may not even tell anyone about your real deep, heartfelt sorrows, so you harbour them, and that doesn't help either. When we don't know which way to turn, we will then do it. We will all utter a prayer. Maybe a very short one, and maybe even to a 'God' you don't understand too well, or even know at all, but if the internal struggle is bad enough, you will pray. Silently, or out loud, it doesn't matter, and when we do pray, it is heard, even if we don't think it is! This is more, so much more than the 'omg' we hear so often, and so glibly. For that reason, I do not like to see it in print, or hear it in conversation.


Sometimes an occasion will arise when you don't want to share your thoughts and fears with people who will just talk about you, and your problem, but you want to tell some folks who you know will pray, and take it to a higher place! I feel privileged and blessed to have such friends, and when the need comes up, I know they will pray for me, my family, and our situation. This sounds crazy to anyone who is not a 'prayer' normally, but believe me, it does make a difference to the person (or people) who need that prayer. So, to those who read this, who know, and who pray, I say thank you, and God Bless you. What about the answers, I hear you ask? Let me finish with this thought. "The prayer is more important than the answer".       

Bad News Comes in 3s

There is an old saying that goes, "bad news comes in 3s". This past week has shown that to be true in my case. First of the three was my washing machine which stopped working, and was not repairable, so a new one had to be bought. Secondly, my gas central heating and hot water boiler stopped working, and the Scottish Gas engineer told me that it could not be repaired either, as it was too old, so yes another expense, this time of a new boiler. Thirdly, my sister had a "heart scare" and had to go into hospital for tests.


I mentioned three things, but only one was important. Two of these 'problems' could be bought with new appliances, the third could not. Yes, the important one was the one which was outside my control. In fact, it was outside everybody's control. Add the fact that she and my brother (in-law, although I don't like that term) live in Florida, so I can't just go and visit. I can phone, and that was good, but it's not quite the same is it? For four days the medics worked to find medication which would get the heart arrhythmia under control, but this didn't work, so a procedure was decided upon which involved surgery. In a time like that, when the medical staff are concerned, you get concerned as well!


Anyone who has read some of my earlier blogs will have gathered that I do enjoy a good and sound Christian Faith, so being so far away, when I was out of other forms of help, I prayed. So did family. So did many others who knew of the situation. What happened next, can be described as a miracle. 


Already in the operating area, and all ready for the anaesthetist, with the surgical and medical staff around, and my brother and friends watching from a room nearby, my sister's heart started to work properly. Immediately. Correctly. The heart rate went from almost 200 beats per minute to a perfect 70. After four days of medical investigation and work, something changed as this particular patient lay on an operating table, and it went far beyond the ken of senior doctors and surgeons. It was a surprise and a shock to all those around, including the medics.


Those who profess a Christian Faith have no doubts as to what happened. It was a direct intervention by God. For those who do not have any such faith, it can be explained away as, something which would have happened anyway. It is not my place to argue about something which can have no rational explanation. It made me wonder why we don't usually expect an answer when we pray? Maybe it's because we don't always see the answers, but in this case it was common, even public knowledge! It is hard to argue against the obvious, and the obvious is that an erratic and unpredictable heart suddenly started to work properly, and before any surgical technique was applied!    


I already have paid for a new washing machine, and I will eventually pay to get a new central heating boiler, but I got a new sister for free! Strange how the most important and the biggest piece of bad news was the worst, but there is no cost associated with the miracle. But then some things have no price tag attached. Things like, Faith, family, and love. 


"For where your heart is, there will your treasure be also". Now, what is important to you?