I was listening to Jesus pray; I heard Him say to the Father (John 17:4,22), "I have glorified You and the glory which You gave Me I have given them."
Then I began to wonder ... what am I doing with the glory? What is this glory, this gift given by the Father to His beloved Son, which Jesus has bequeathed to us?
There was a time when Adam was radiant with glory because his spirit, soul and body were united in perfect faith and love to God. The very image of God was brought down into his natural body and he was clothed in an inconceivable splendour of light, so that his whole person was in the likeness of God. Through his communion with God, his body was dazzling with light. Alas, in the first Adam, our covering of glory and light was lost.
But ... God so loved that He gave ... a second Adam.
The death of Jesus Christ for me qualifies me for His Resurrection Life in me and makes me a partaker of the Divine nature. Just as Jesus allowed the Father to invade His personality by the Holy Spirit, I can allow the Holy Spirit to invade my personality; to teach my mind, control my emotions, direct my will and govern my behaviour. SO THAT, just as the only explanation for the life of Jesus then was God, the only explanation for my life now should be the Lord Jesus.
What amazing provision:
Redemption - for my cleansing!
Regeneration - so God sees me in Christ!!
Sanctification - so that others should see Christ in me!!!
Christ in me (Colossians 1:27), my only hope of the glory of reflecting the truth about God, in Whose image I was created for that very purpose -- to show the world what God is like.
My mind staggers at the realization of the tremendous privilege and potential.
God's image ... defaced ... but not erased ... and now restored!!!!!
What am I doing with the glory?