"...above all things see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord." - George Mueller
The first order of business every day, says Mueller, is to get my soul happy in God. Great advice. But I've not yet mastered the technique. One of the ways I like to do that is by thinking about glory. I don't know exactly what glory looks like. I've been asking God to show it to me lately, but he's not yet given me a big glorious experience. The Apostle Paul, however, must have had a strong vision of it:
And talk about suffering! Paul knew suffering:"...the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
- Romans 8:18-19
"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three timesI was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea...." -2 Cor. 11:24-25So, Paul suffered much, but said it couldn't be compared with the glory to be revealed. He must, therefore, have had a big, bold, and beautiful understanding of the glory of God. And I, to be able to endure suffering like a man of God, need a better understanding of the glory of God. So, last night as I was falling asleep I started to meditate on the throne room of heaven. I can't remember too much--I was falling asleep--but I know that my heart began to race. I felt happy in God.
Not a big deal, I know, but I want to be like Moses: "Lord, show me your glory" (Ex. 33:18) . And I trust that a better understanding of his glory will give me deeper satisfaction in his presence.
What about you? What makes you happy in God? Where do you find the joy that will help you, like Jesus, endure the cross set before you (Heb. 12:2; Lk. 9:23)?
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