HIs Glory Shines Forth as Shallom

UV 963/10,000 God’s Glory Shines Forth as Shallom Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests. Luke 2 v 14 This single uni-verse defines the purpose of the universe as well as the purpose of human life. The purpose of the universe is to reveal the glory of God. His infiniteness is reflected in the infinite number of heavenly bodies in space. His creativity is reflected in the vast variety of species of flora and fauna on Earth. These creatures and heavenly bodies reflect the glory or greatness and majesty and power of God passively as a mirror reflects light. But the highest praise for God comes from the wholly autonomous creature that is man. Just as when the sun shines in its glory in different regions and nations, the people there receive warmth, light and energy to enable them to live, when the glory of God shines on us, implying when His favour rests on us, we receive Shallom- the peace that passeth understanding, the peace that the world and its forces, foes and factors cannot take away, the peace that is wholesome, the peace that includes a combination of joy, grace, wisdom, love, prosperity, long life, health, success and strength. We should therefore daily and continually bask in the glory of God, the original source of our life and growth, just as sun bathers love to bask in the sunlight. When we believe in His Son we have made peace with God. When we do His work on earth, His favour rests on us. When we find the favour of God, we will learn to enjoy the flavour of life. When the glory of God shines on us the unpredictable, the amazing and the miraculous will happen in our lives. We should attempt to do our highest for His glory, implying that we should develop ourselves to our fullest potential and use our time, talent and treasure for His greater glory in every domain of human endeavour and activity. When our lives produce the fruits of repentance and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in abundance, His Kingdom is established on earth as in heaven. Truth looks up from the earth and righteousness looks down from heaven. Mercy and truth meet half way, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. This is Jacob’s dream of the two way staircase to heaven- of our praises and petitions being carried to the Lord by ascending angels and His answers and blessings of Shallom being brought down to us by the descending angels from heaven. Our hearts, bodies, homes and relationships become the new Bethel- the glorious home of God. Prateep V Philip