The Greatest Desire

Scripture:
Leviticus 9: 23-24 — “Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the alter; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

Observation:
The visible appearance of God's beauty, majesty, and perfection manifested itself before the people of Israel as fire rained down from heaven and consumed their offering. It was such and amazing sight that people fell on their faces and shouted out — what a scene that must have been! It is easy to lose sight of just how amazing is the God we are called to serve.
 
Application:
What is it that I seek? What images manifest themselves in my mind and hold my desires? As I persist through the challenges of life, what are the things that I pursue? God's Glory has the power to provide more for my life than anything else I could ever hope for. Yet when I examine my life I am shocked at how little I actually think about experiencing God's Glory. If I am totally honest with myself, it is often missing from my daily desires. I like to say that it is there and I even fool myself into thinking that, but when I take an honest assessment of where I spend my time or I list out the thoughts on my mind God's Glory is seldom at the top of the list. I must return to the basics of my faith. God's Glory must no longer get lost in the shuffle of all the other thoughts I have running through my head. I must refocus the desires of my heart to seeking what can be seen of God's Glory here on earth and attach my deepest longing to seeing God's Glory revealed in the life of others.
 
Prayer:
Your Word tells me that I should have nothing before you and that I should seek you first. The basic command from Your Word is to love You with all my heart. I must confess that I often fail in keeping my attention focused on You above all the other things that are in my life. I forget just how beautiful you are. I don't want to continue like this. Guide me as I seek to be reacquainted with the majesty that is Your Glory. Bring to my memory all the times in my past that I have caught a glimpse of Your Glory and allow me to treasure those times above anything else that I have experienced. Create inside of me a desire to seek Your Glory that will literally alter the course of my life.

— Jason Hester, executive pastor of ministries