To manifest means to be easily seen by the eye or perceived by the mind; it is to put beyond doubt. It is to reveal, declare or make an open statement. It can be likened to the unveiling or product lunch by a major corporation. As anyone familiar with such event would attest, no effort is too much, no cost is spared, in the build up to the event; then at the event all the plugs are pulled, the fireworks and attention-grabbing strategies are unleashed. In the launch, we are told the name, use, features of the product and what we stand to gain by purchasing or patronizing it. You see, we are God’s creation and there is no better craftsman or manufacturer than God. As the Psalmist declares in Psalms 139:14 “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” NKJV. We are created to manifest or showcase the glory of God. And unlike the product launch of a corporation, we are not a one-time event – we are wired to manifest the glory of God all through our lives!
Glory, as defined by Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, is “beauty, power, or honor; a quality of God's character that emphasizes His greatness and authority”. Glory is expressed as God's moral beauty and perfection of character, which is beyond man's understanding (Ps 113:4). We all "fall short" of it (Rom 3:23). It can come as a visible presence. Though God's glory is not a substance, there are times God reveals His perfection to man in a visible way. Such a display of the presence of God is often seen as fire or dazzling light, but sometimes as an act of power. Some examples from the Old Testament are the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex 13:21), the Lord's deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea (Ex 14), and especially His glory in the tabernacle (Lev 9:23-24) and Temple (1 Kings 8:11). Also, God's glory includes the honor and audible praise which His creatures give to Him (Ps 115:1; Rev 5:12-13).
In the New Testament, the glory of God is shown mainly in Christ (Luke 9:29-32; John 2:11) and in the members of His church. Christ now shares His divine glory with His followers (John 17:5-6,22), so that in their lives Christians are being transformed into the glorious image of God (2 Cor 3:18). Believers will be fully glorified at the end of time in God's heavenly presence (Rom 5:2; Col 3:4). There the glory of God will be seen everywhere (Rev 21:23).
As Christ shares His divine glory with us, we have the duty to let it manifest. As the corporate product manufacturers want to showcase their products, Christ and indeed the world is looking up to us to manifest glory! Our four-part series for the month of November, “Manifest Glory”, will help us discover how and the inherent benefits. Join us this and every Sunday, as we explore the theme.
God bless you.
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