Glimmers of God’s Glory

Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to God. But what is revealed belongs to us and our children.”

I made a special snack for my grandchildren for when they came home from school. I shared Deuteronomy 29:29 with them and told them that I wanted to share some secret things that God had revealed. 

I paused and looked up to find my 10 year old autistic grandson standing on my kitchen counter!!! I got him settled and began again. I told them that God had shared a secret with us about heaven. 

I told them that it is beautiful because God is there. There is a wonderful river in heaven called the River of the Water of Life, with water clear as crystal. Suddenly, my 4 year old granddaughter interrupted. She said, “And when I get to heaven I’m going to be a mermaid and swim in that river.” I smiled and replied, “That’s not a secret God has revealed. But I promise you it will be wonderful.” And closed the book.

“Is that all Mimi? That was only 5 minutes.” I told Harde that I could only give them glimmers of God’s glory because he was the only one who would sit still. Harde is my grandson who is wheelchair bound.

Last week I told them why God had created them. I told them about the conversation that I had with their great grandfather the day before he died. His mother had taught him that he had been created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. During that last conversation we had talked about how glorifying God had brought him joy.

I told them that glorifying God was like shining a light on Him and discovering how wonderful He is. I will continue to share with my grandchildren the secret things that God has revealed even if it’s only 5 minutes at a time So that together we can enjoy Him forever. Hopefully one day they will meet their great grandfather in heaven, maybe even by the River of the Water of life.

Tzitzit

 I don’t know how many times I read this verse without really paying attention to it but recently it caught my eye. “The LORD said to Moses,”Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their  garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So that you shall remember to do all my commandments, and to be holy to your God.”(Numbers 15:37-40)

This tassel is known as a tzitzit. It was a physical reminder to Israelites, of who they were, who God was, and what He required of them. They were to wear these tassels on the corners of their garments so that wherever they went they would be reminded to be set apart, to be holy to their God. It reminds me of something Steve and I would tell our children when they left home, “Remember who you are, to whom you belong, and who you represent.”

I’m on chapter 31 of 2 Chronicles and I’m finding a lot of evidence that although they may have been wearing the tassel they struggled to not follow their own heart and their own eyes. I remember when I was a teenager and I saw a chart of the ups and downs of Israel obeying God that I was discussed. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with them. I’m older now and I understand.

When I was young I believed that I could follow all God’s commandments. I really didn’t believe that I needed a savior. I believed that if I were given enough time that I could be perfect. Life has taught me a different lesson. I think that’s why I was fascinated when I read Malachi 4:2 “But you who fear my name, the Son of Righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” The tassel was to be placed on each corner of the garment. In Hebrew the word corner is also referred to as fringes or wings.

In the Luke 8, there’s a beautiful picture of the Son of Righteousness who had healing in his wings. A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years and was considered ceremonially unclean according to Jewish law was cured by touching the fringe of Jesus garment. She had done everything she could to be healed. She had suffered much at the hands of the physicians. This is such a picture of what it means to have a savior. After he healed her he called her daughter.

Jesus, thank you for giving me this picture of a tangible reminder of an intangible truth, that I too can find healing in your wings.

Safe

 It was bedtime but when I saw the anguish in his eyes I knew that sleep would not be coming anytime soon. All he could choke out was, “Mimi, I have phobias!” After that the storm broke and the tears flowed. For thirty minutes I held him. Rocking him back and forth I whispered, “it’s okay to cry, you’re safe.” Then there was quiet and he looked up at me with peaceful eyes.

Later that night it was my turn to acknowledge that I too had phobias. My sleep was broken when my mind became flooded by all the things I had no control over. It took awhile but finally I realized that staying in bed was pointless. I poured myself a glass of milk and picked up the book “The Attributes of God” by Arthur W. Pink and I ban to read:

“ Here then is a sure resting-place for the heart. Our lives are neither the product of blind fate, nor the result of capricious chance, but every detail of them was ordained from all eternity, and is now ordered by the living and reigning, God. Not a hair of our heads can be touched without his permission. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9) What assurance, what strength, what comfort this should give the real Christian! “My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15) “Then let me rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him”(Psalm 37:7).

I sighed deeply closed the book and went to bed. In a world filled with things over which I had no control I knew that I was safe.