John 1:14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Jn 1:14.

Abba, 

Israel’s glory was never in their person or their own acclaim. But only ever in Your presence. You were, and are, what make them wholly worthy of notice.

The same is true with us, Your Church.

You are the glory of man. Men simply are not. Any glory beheld in man is simply You within them.  

It still boggles my mind, especially after seeing “The Created Cosmos” again, that You came and dwelt among us—that You continue to dwell here. The old word for it—condescended. You condescended to dwell with us. What an appropriate word! You lowered Yourself well beneath your dignity and station to enter the minuscule nature of Your own creation. It is simply staggering to consider!

You came and tabernacled among us—in a babe, called Jesus. A simple man, born to a simple woman, and raised by a simple carpenter. And in so doing, You fulfilled the law, showed grace, and satisfied what needed satisfying—justice, holy wrath, a sin debt against Yourself.

All for me. All for us. We, who are less than a speck in Your endless creation, became the object of divine affection!

Our glory—is You, Abba.
Your presence among us.
No worth do we have
except infinite God
in tiny flesh.

Our glory—it’s You, Abba.
Having come to satisfy law,
to display endless grace,
to rescue and save the unlovely—
which was so by infinite degree.

Yes, our glory is You, Abba.
What a wonder that You even 
deign to look in our direction—
that You chose to approach— 
And make Yourself approachable!

Without a doubt—Our glory is, now and forever, You, Abba.
We have none—
except that which shines in You
and is merely reflected in us—
like a mirror.
Your glory—YOUR glory is ALL there is!