THE GLORY OF GOD

"Glorify thou me with thine own self..." (John 17:5).

No man can rightly define God's glory any more than he can define him. Glory is the fullness of God, and that is a subject too high for our finite minds. Yet, we do know in part.

When God gives his glory, he gives himself. The one who receives his love also gets his mercy, his holiness, and his strength. The one who receives his mercy also gets his love and all else that is the fullness of God. Those who seek the glory of God must learn that he truly desires to give himself to us, which means he wants us to enjoy fullness of rest and confidence.

Before he left the earth to return to his heavenly Father, Jesus prayed, "O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5).

Jesus was in the bosom of the Father before the world was. He was one with the Father, and that was glory. Union with the Father was the delight and glory of his being. He had intimacy, union, and oneness.

We know so little of his glory. We think only in terms of cosmic power and splendor. We are such strangers to the real meaning of God's glory, we don't even understand what Jesus meant when he said, "I am glorified in them" (v. 10).

Did you not know that Jesus Christ is glorified in his saints—now? He abides in us in all his divine fullness. We are complete in him. When he comes to abide, he comes in all his glory, might, majesty, holiness, grace, and love. We have received the glory of a full and complete Christ. We have an open heaven—let us come boldly to the throne of his glory and make our petitions known. How wonderful to come away with assurance and hope.