“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (KJV)
Note the holy enthusiasm expressed in Charles Wesley’s Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies:
“Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise, Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Day-spring from on high, be near; Day-star, in my heart appear.
Dark and cheerless is the morn Unaccompanied by thee;
Joyless is the day’s return Till thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till they inward light impart, Cheer my eyes and warm my heart.
Visit, then, this soul of mine; Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine; Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display, Shining to the perfect day. Amen.”
Christ’s glory fills the universe for all to behold, yet some refuse to see his glory. John the beloved Apostle wrote, “we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father.” It is difficult to understand how anyone could even remotely imagine the crucifixion scene and not see the glory of the only begotten of the Father. How does a lost world not see the glory of their Savior? They refuse to believe that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord, so they are blinded by their unbelief. Note the desire and faith expressed in Wesley’s hymn.
“Sun of righteousness, arise” give us victory over every shade of night. “Day-spring . . . be near.” What a prayer! “Day-star appear in my heart.” What desire and passion for the Christ whose glory fills the skies! What would happen in our communities . . . our lives, our families, and our churches . . . if you and I possessed such desire and passion for Christ’s glory to fill His house?
Note how unhappy the day is – how utterly joyless it is — without His presence. Oh, but how luminescent we become as His mercy and grace imparts inward cheer and warms our souls. Oh, the wonder of Christ’s glory!
Please, Lord Jesus, don’t stop visiting our thirsty souls. Forgive our sin and fill us with your light. Replace all our unbelief with confident faith, and enable us to see your glory “shining to the perfect day.” This I pray in your name. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the wonder of Christ’s glory,