Daily Worship

A People Reflecting Glory

Rhona Cathcart June 24, 2023 1 3
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Ephesians 3:21 (NRSVA)

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

I love the British Sign Language (BSL) sign for glory. It involves hands held up with ‘sparkly’ fingers, like a child painting stars in the sky. Where you position your hands matters in BSL, as does the expression on your face. When I am signing “glory” during a song, I feel my face lift up, as well as my hands, as my fingers dance in the air.

Some of our hymns, especially those from our Imperial past, use images of empire to inspire ideas of glory. I get where they are coming from, and there are such images in the Bible. But empires are human things. Flawed things. Limited things. Glory is much more extravagant and wondrous than anything an empire can offer.

To glory is to revel in God’s renown not our own.

Glory is in the praise of God’s people rising up like sparkly fingers in imitation of the magnificence of the skies.

PRAYER:

Infinite God

Dust our eyes with your glory as we lift them up to you.
Fill our dancing fingers with love and light and the strength to embrace others.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen