THE AWE AND GLORY OF GOD

      To begin to contemplate the glory of God the first that will help us is to see the unglory of ourselves. Each of us knows that part about ourselves more than anyone else other than God. We know who we are, what we've done, we know how short we are when it comes to measuring up to Gods standards. We know what Jesus ask of us and we are short, only by the forgiveness provided by His blood can we measure up and even then it is not us measuring up, it is Jesus measuring up for us. How can we miss the glory of a God who from the beginning of time has known us, each one of us¹, and from the very beginning of time formulated a plan to redeem us to Himself even in spite of our sinfulness. Now to begin to see the awe and glory of God we must not put our attention on ourselves and our sinfulness but on a God that has redeemed us bringing us out of doom into His Glory.

      Now lets take a look at God's glory. In the beginning who was, and who is now and who will continue for ever – only God. Who spoke and creation appeared – only God. We think of the light God created we think it was the sun, the moon and the stars, but God gave the command 'Let there be light there was light and it was good', God said so, and it was three days before He created the sun, the moon ,and the stars. At this point let me ask a question, Did God create a beautiful earth for us to enjoy or did He create us such that we would enjoy His handy work in the beautiful earth He created? Can we ever reach the place this side of heaven to say we comprehend God and His ways? Our minds and understanding are only sufficient to touch the fringe of God's garment in knowing of His full glory. We don't have the capacity to know the great glory of God, it is way beyond our greatest dream or speculation. The only thing we know of Him is what He revels to us and many times it is too great for us to understand so God implants it in our being and some how we just know.

      When God was asked His name, God said His name is 'I AM'. God is everything good, there is nothing good that He is not. What He is (the 'I AM') is greater than any word of man or any thought of man's mind. His greatness can not be comprehended by the mind of man. What God fully is man does not have the capacity to know or understand so it is appropriate that God leave it at 'I AM' with nothing more said.

      God is the creator of the universe including us. He is the one who determines right and wrong. He is the one who made a way because of His great love that you and I can be forgiven for all we have done wrong. And He is the one who has provided a way we can enter His family, become a child of God, and live for eternity with Him in heaven.

Ps. 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained

Ps 106:2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?

Ps12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.

Jer 23:23 & 24 "Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD.

1Sam 5:2-4 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it.

Isa. 40:12-18 &24-28 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Ps 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever

     Even disregarding all that God has done for us He deserves our praise because He is God. Only because He is who He is we should Praise Him. Even if He had never blessed me or forgave my sins He deserves my praise because of who He is, because of His greatness, because there is no one like Him or equal to Him. He is God and that is enough to receive my praise, my gratitude, my devotion, and my love.

Robert L Doudna 2007