"Let Your glory fall in this room," we sing.  *  We read about it. We hear about it. We talk about it. What is this "glory of God"? Can we actually see or feel it? What must we do in order for the "glory of God" to fall upon us?

I want to know for myself. And since Jesus said we are to seek, ask and knock, (Matthew 7:7,8) I'm going to keep on asking and seeking and knocking until I experience for myself the "glory of the Lord."

Let's begin with Moses as he led the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage toward "the promised land." How was it that the cloud of glory appeared to them? The Lord told Moses to go up to the mountain where He would give Moses the commandments. "Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain. Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel." (Exodus 24:15-17)

Then the Lord spoke, telling Moses the children of Israel were to bring offerings, willingly, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8) The people obeyed the Lord's instructions and the tabernacle was built exactly as He guided them to do. After the work was finished, "Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." (Exodus 40:34,35)

God gave Moses detailed and exact instructions for presenting Him sacrifices. "So they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of meeting. And all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you." (Leviticus 9:5, 6) "...Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces." (Leviticus 9:23, 24)

What have sacrifices to do with us today? Indeed, Jesus became our sacrifice lamb and took away our sins completely. Yet, there is more. For someone who is asking and seeking and knocking, there is more Jesus is wanting to give. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13) For so precious a gift, the Lord still requires sacrifices. Today, the sacrifices that God requires of us are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. (Psalms 34:18; 51:17) "Contrite" means humbled, touched, softened, a supple heart, not a hardened one. And the spirit that is teachable is the one God can reach and will dwell with. In addition, God is well pleased with our sacrifices of praise to Him with thanksgiving, to do good and to share. (Hebrews 13:15,16)

God wants to dwell in us! We are now His temple!"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,' Says the LORD. 'But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.'" (Isaiah 66:1, 2)

The Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance for believers to continue to walk in the Spirit, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17) And again, Paul reminds the Corinthians and us, "...do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)

What a responsibility this is! We need to rid ourselves of the importance of the self who wants to lead and we must resist evil distractions that turn us away from Jesus, in order to allow the Holy Spirit to be the Director, our Reminder, our Counselor. When we have entered into a new life led by Jesus, having given the Spirit full reign, what foolishness to revert back to what we once were! (Galatians 3:1)

The song continues, "Let it go forth from here to the nations. Let Your fragrance rest in this place, as we gather to seek Your face. Let us see on earth the glory of Your Son."

Will others see the glory of the Lord in us?

* "Let Your Glory Fall," words and music by David Ruis.   Copyright © 1993 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission.