Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14
Imagine the chorus of praise to God from the company of heavenly host! Could we even dare believe we could take in the sight and sound of the angels giving glory to God and wishing peace on earth to those who receive the gift God has sent?
Glory, splendor and brightness revealing all the goodness that God is, in a baby who will reflect that glory on earth and be our means to also glorify, recognize, honor and praise the Father. Amazing grace.
The Hebrew word for glory means, heavy in weight. The angels praised God’s glory, recognizing the weight of His honor. Their praise gave us a glimpse into the importance of God’s goodness, righteousness and justice, and allows us to respond to the glory of God, His majesty and His divine power with our confession, worship and praise.
Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Psalm 72:18-20
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Isaiah 11:9-10
This verse from Isaiah 60 was a flicker of light to me long ago, as the light was dawning into my darkness of confusion. Could it really be for me too?
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Isaiah 60:1-2
From Matthew Henry’s Commentary we learn how to recognize and respond to the favor, light and glory from above.
As far as we have the knowledge of God in us, and the favour of God towards us, our light has come.
“Arise, shine; not only receive this light, and” (as the margin reads it) “be enlightened by it, but reflect this light; arise and shine with rays borrowed from it.” The children of light ought to shine as lights in the world. If God’s glory be seen upon us to our honour, we ought not only with our lips, but in our lives, to return the praise of it to his honour.
This glimmer of light gave me such great hope that my jewelry business was named after this favorite verse. The jewelry created to explore my Christian faith would be under the banner “Arise Designs”.
What joy we share as believers together!
‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ Isaiah 66:5
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me. Psalm 86:12
Gloria in Excelsis Deo is Latin for “Glory to God in the highest”.
1. Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What the great brightness did you see?
What glad tidings did you hear? Refrain
3. Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain
4. See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love. Refrain
Sing with the angels for the gift from above has been given, and we as shepherds in the 21st century are no less awed by the light of love found in the hay, that starry night when the shepherds first heard the angels praise.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5
Singing,
Laurie
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Question (feel free to journal your answer here) Has your light come? Are you borrowing the rays and shining them in your generation?
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Gloria Jewelry can be found at shop.livedan330.com
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