Friday: Further Thought – “Please, Show Me Your Glory”
Daily Lesson for Friday 19th of September 2025
Further Thought:
Carefully read Ellen G. White, “Idolatry at Sinai,” Pages 327–330, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
On a gloomy day, a father and son visited a cathedral. As they looked at the stained-glass windows with beautiful depictions of different biblical scenarios, the sun suddenly began shining through the glass picture of people, brightly illuminating them with impressive light. The small boy asked his father: “Daddy, who are these people?” The father didn’t know much about Christianity, Christ, or His disciples but quickly replied: “These people are Christians.” This dazzling picture stayed in the mind of the son. One day the boy’s teacher asked in class: “Children, do you know who Christians are?” The small boy remembered the bright picture in the cathedral and answered: “I know; Christians are shining people.” Along the same line, Jesus said to His followers, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV). Only shining people can be agents of change.
Discussion Questions
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I have a box of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) on my shelf at the moment. They have been sitting there for over a year. I know a lot about these little electronic devices. I can tell you about the elements used, the electronic energy levels involved, the activation voltages, and what causes them to blow up. I can even tell you how LEDs have made a huge difference to the way they have changed the way we light the world. But my little box of LEDs lie unused and neglected. I have lots of excuses. Some of them are good ones (writing comments on Sabbath School Net is one of them).
I have this plan for making a spectacular light chaser by connecting my little LEDs to my Raspberry Pi computer. It is going to be mind-blowing. I could put it outside the house so everyone can see my little lights in all their glory. All it needs is for me to get off my butt and connect them up.
Are we Christians like these little LEDs, so full of potential, built on knowledge and understanding, but sitting in boxes, disconnected and unused?
Jesus said:
What are we missing?
Mmmh! A lot! We are missing a lot! We are missing a connection or a purpose, Maurice !
We were born as the little LED's as you say; but not knowing our function; we have lived like little LED's shelved; We have survived like little LED's lighting light for us and other known-to-us little LED's in our closed closets; We have lived like little LED's with electicity or phantom-powered backgrounds but only emitting limited light on ocassion (sunset to sunset)and disconnected in all other days; We have lived like little LED's without knowing our potential;we have lived like little LED not harnessing the emmense power behind us; and we have lived like little LED undercover - blocking or being a barrier to our own potential.
That's what we are missing - and more.
Thank you for opening our eyes.
Maurice - I think what we are missing is to rightly understand that it is not our character' that is displayed when His Light comes on. As long as we measure the output of 'God's Light' by our 'character', we become mindful of our 'defects', leading to wanting to 'keep the Light on the shelf'.
When understanding the Light in the context of our willingness to be plucked into the Light-Source, we accept our 'falling short' when displaying the 'Glory of God', by humbly asking for guidance to be more effectivly connected with the Source of His Light shining through us.
The setting for this week's study happens away from the camp, what if we could relate this to today, and imagine this as a sway away from an organised society or group, maybe even "A Church"? There's a lot to learn from this that we could impress on our walk today.
There is the camp where the rest of Israel is....
And .... there's Moses, accompanied by Joshua, momentarily stepping away from the camp to commune with God, nurturing a personal relationship with Him. Moses has an insatiable thirst to know God, a deep yearning to feel His presence, and a longing to be with Him both spiritually and physically. He has an inherent need to worship God and a fervor to be humbled to enable him to serve and love God wholeheartedly. Additionally, Moses has a calling to plead, present supplications, and intercede for the people in the camp—the children of Israel. He loves others as he loves himself (Leviticus 19:18).
And .... there's the tent of meeting—with God—in a distant desert wilderness, a secret place (Psalms 91:1; Matthew 6:6; Luke 6:12) in God's presence, amidst His glory.
And .... God comes down as a cloud, enveloping Moses in a blanket of solace and His presence, listening to his pleas and prayers. God provides Moses an environment of rest.
And....as a result, Moses is humbled as God restores Israel and returns Israel back to Him. God's goodness, justice, love and mercy are revealed. God's glory radiates through Moses, and he reflects the glory of God. Moses' face shines the glory of God.
It's been a journey for Moses in his spiritual walk with God.
Thank you Stanley , this was powerful be blessed
I pray to know God beyond my day to day experience with Him. My mission is to find people who are needing a saviour and looking for Him. To love God and serve Him is one thing. But to see His glory as Moses did what a beautiful and interpersonal surreal experience.
God’s very character is the essence of beauty, and all created wonders merely reflect His radiant nature. Scripture reveals this truth: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). His holiness shines with splendor (Psalm 29:2), His love is unfailing and adorned with grace (Psalm 36:5–6), and His glory fills the heavens and earth (Isaiah 6:3). The psalmist declares, “From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth” (Psalm 50:2), reminding us that every glimpse of created beauty is a reflection of His eternal, unchanging, and glorious beauty that awakens awe, worship, and longing in the human heart.
Beautiful prayer, Maxine! May God grant you your requests in seven fold. This is a prayer for all, to connect and relay the very character of God in us; with us; and for us. Amen!
Beautiful Dan...'From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth'. Your interpretation of it makes lots of sense, and I love it. Added to my recitals!
Well said, Stanley.
Like the little boy's description in the story of stained-glass windows (and unlike dormant LED lights), I desire that my life and light shine brilliantly to the glory of God. Thankfully, I can choose to remain daily infused with the limitless oil of the Holy Spirit.
The resulting glow - physical wellness, mental acuity, ... overall peace - should say that I have been with Jesus! May this be our reality.
As we get closer to the Light, we can reflect it more. Light makes all the difference to the most fantastic sense we may have: vision! The clear view of an image can be stronger than a thousand words.
In response to the first question -
I think we might focus our understanding about God’s ‘character’ too narrowly when pointing to: 'how our characters, actions, and attitudes impact our witness". When considering the Holy Spirit as the source from which all things that manifest as 'good character' come, we might need to re-evaluate our understanding of 'character' - James 1:17; John 7:38-39; Rom.15:13.
We cannot ‘put on the ‘character’ of God', but we can be filled with the Spirit of God, as it is the source of the power of all that is ‘good’; manifesting in the life of the Christian as the Motivator - Guide - Counselor - Friend - Comforter – Revelator - all that which contains and expresses the Love of God as His Light to inspire and facilitate the actions of believers.
The Holy Spirit, the Source and Motivator to all who love God and are called according to His Purpose, is the same Light which revealed Who God IS to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and many others participating in the preparation to establish God's Way toward the final Salvation of mankind.
Our God, by His Mercy and Grace through the Power of His Holy Spirit, reveals to us the ability of our born-again nature to ‘reflect’ God's Spirit of Goodness and Righteousness by choosing to engage in acts expressing HIS Love of Kindness and Justice. Humbly opening our heart to allow our heavenly Father to do so, reveals HIS Nature – John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 John 4:7.