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Psalm 91
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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place- the Most High, who is my refuge-no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." (ESV)
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Glory of God
Friday of Pentecost 17
14 October 2011
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The Son of God's work to save the world was hidden under the signs of humility. He is a man, but is divine through the virgin birth. He is God, but suffers human weakness. He is nailed to the cross, but conquers death. He dies, but in Him all are made alive. He suffers the penalty of damnation, but lifts mortals to heaven. These are the signs of the glory of God made perfect in weakness. For these we offer praise to Christ and through Him to His Father. This is why Christian worship must first speak of the acts of God for they are the truly glorious things, though hidden under humility.
Unfortunately, self-centered humans that we are, we desire to turn glory into our work, as though we humans can take what is ours and offer it to God for His glory. Glorification of God means letting God be who He is in Christ. He comes to save. God's true glory is the humble acts of Christ who is willing to suffer ignominiously and die for sinners like us.
Hilary of Poitiers revels in the weakness of the divine glory in a way that is reminiscent of Martin Luther. This should not surprise us. First, they are both working with the same Christian text. Second, Luther was familiar with Hilary, referring to him over one hundred times in his writings and lectures. They shared the common language of the holy church given by God our Father through Christ, His Son. This is the glory of God. |
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John Chrysostom
"The Son glorifies the Father fully and finally in the words, 'I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do' (Jn 17:4). All the Father's praise is from the Son, for every praise bestowed upon the Son is praise of the Father, since all that He accomplished is what the Father had willed. The Son of God is born as man; but the power of God is in the virgin birth. The Son of God is seen as man; but God is present in His human actions. The Son of God is nailed to the cross; but on the cross God conquers human death. Christ, the Son of God, dies; but all flesh is made alive in Christ. The Son of God is in hell; but man is carried back to heaven. In proportion to our praise of Christ for these His works, will be the praise we bring to Him from whom Christ's Godhead is. These are the ways in which the Father glorifies the Son on earth; and in return the Son reveals by works of power to the ignorance of the heathen and to the foolishness of the world Him from whom He is.
"This exchange of glory, given and received, implies no augmentation of the Godhead, but means the praises rendered for the knowledge granted to those who had lived in ignorance of God. What, indeed, could there be which the Father, from whom are all things, did not richly possess? In what was the Son lacking, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead had been pleased to dwell? The Father is glorified on earth because the work which He had commanded is finished."
Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 3.15
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Prayer
Lord Christ, You are nailed to a cross, but conquer death. You die, but in You all are made alive. You suffer damnation, but lift us to heaven. Let me glorify You by speaking of the salvation You have won for me and the world, so that many more might be saved. Amen.
For Chaplain Donald Ehrke (US Army), that God the Lord would send His holy angels to watch over him
For President Matthew Harrison of the LCMS, that the Holy Spirit would grant Him to glorify God in the humility of Christ
For Pastor Scott and Maryann Murray, who celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary tomorrow, in thanksgiving to God for all His blessings
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Art: DÜRER, Albrecht The Adoration of the Holy Trinity (1511)
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 © Scott R. Murray, 2011
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