Show Me Your Glory by Liz Melville

As the holidays approach, I’ve been attempting to shift into a slower gear and find fresh ways to savor my Savior. My prayer life is a great (often overlooked) avenue for that.

Earlier this year, I completed a biblical counseling certificate program, and as a result of an abundance of time with God, my prayer life became robust. I experienced a spiritual growth spurt, and my heart was overflowing with thankfulness. When we seek the Lord, we will find Him—and we will always come away changed. If you’ve meditated on what Scripture says about prayer, two things become apparent: we collectively don’t talk to our God nearly enough, and our prayers aren’t nearly as bold as they’re invited to be.

That’s why I’m particularly intrigued by one biblical example of an audacious request of God:

In Exodus, Moses, who had just set God’s people free, was interceding for the Israelites and asking God to journey with them. He, in fact, was already talking to God “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Thankfully for this ragtag group, God agreed to Moses’ request. It’s a wonderful story, but it doesn’t end there.

Moses escalated his initial request and asked to have access to more of God—a daring request even among “friends.” “Please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight” (Exodus 33:13a). “Please, show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18).

This is the part of the story you’re all probably familiar with: God explains He will hide Moses in the cleft of the rock for his protection, and God will “make all [His] goodness pass before [Moses]” while proclaiming His name. He will cover Moses with His “hand” while He passes by and let him see only His “back.” If Moses had even glimpsed God’s “face,” he would have died.

God’s goodness and His glory are one and the same here; the words are interchangeable. And we know from Scripture that every time Moses was in the presence of God, his face would shine. Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God introduced Himself with some amazing descriptions. Apparently, God’s name is wrapped up with His glory. But what is God’s glory exactly? Should we be seeking it too?

Well, I did what any Gen X/Millennial (affectionately known as a Xennial) would do, and I Googled it. Generative AI tells me that “‘God’s glory’ refers to the magnificence, beauty, and perfection of all that God is, encompassing the full expression of His attributes like power, wisdom, love, and justice, essentially signifying the infinite worth and greatness of God as manifested in creation and through His actions; it’s considered the visible manifestation of His character and nature, often described as a radiant display of His divine excellence.”

This description sounds great—better than I could write on my own, in fact. Even so, what if God doesn’t want His glory limited by our words, descriptions, and, of all things, a synopsis crafted by artificial intelligence? A name is a concrete thing—exclusionary even. A Sarah is not a Rebecca or a Mary, just as an apple tree can’t be a fig tree. Our God is all-powerful, all-good, unchanging, ever-present, all-knowing, and so much more! Instead of a name, God introduced Himself at the burning bush (Exodus 3) as “I Am,” setting Himself apart from the other so-called gods worshiped by the pagan nations. Later in Exodus, God also described Himself to Moses as “slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

So we can imagine what God’s glory might be like. Maybe His glory, His goodness, is displayed when He’s faithful and loving and patient with us. It’s the way He upholds us with His righteous right hand and sanctifies us until we are safely with Christ in eternity. I hope you will take the time to imagine the ways God can display—and we can experience—His glory. In fact, you have some of this mysterious eternal Truth living inside of you if you have trusted in Jesus for salvation.

Have you asked Him to show you His glory—that He would give you eyes of faith to behold it? I think we see with Moses that a relationship—friendship, even—is a necessary precursor to being able to behold any part of God’s glory. You also need to be prepared to see it. Moses was placed in the cleft of the rock for protection. We are unholy, and He is holy, holy, holy.

Thank You, Lord, that You allow us to see glimpses of You through Your Word, in Your creation, and through Your people while we wait for that glorious day when we will be in the presence of Your splendor for eternity. At the holidays, may we be a people who seek Your face—seek Your friendship—ahead of all the societal expectations threatening to drag us away from Life Himself.

We also are invited to reflect the glory of God, similar to the way Moses’ own face twinkled with glory. We don’t turn into human glow sticks, but we are called to live as light, a beacon for those who are lost in darkness searching for a safe harbor.

I will leave you with this verse to ponder with the Holy Spirit:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” —2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

As we approach a new year, may we all resolutely pray more often and more audaciously. Lord, show us Your glory. May we embody more and more of His transformative light as we collectively pray this holiday season, “Your kingdom come.”