Today is April 15.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.   
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the book of 2nd Corinthians, chapter 3.  
 

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!  
 

I love all the repetitions of the word GLORY in this short passage! Clearly Paul is trying to get us to pay attention to something. We have surpassing glory, greater glory, and even glorious glory! There’s something in this text that feels as though Paul is feeling the limitation of his human ability to express something of the fulness of God’s glory. How does this make you feel as you come to prayer today? 
   
Listen again, but try to listen with fresh ears. Listen to how much Paul is straining to say something about the majesty, the glory, the righteousness, of God... Pay attention to how words seem to fail him...
   
For what WAS glorious has NO glory now in comparison with the SURPASSING glory. Paul is expressing a truth about God that is hard to hold. As we close our time of prayer today I want to do something a bit different. Instead of moving into a song of worship to end, I’ll invite you to sit quietly for 2 minutes – you'll hear a soft chime every 30 seconds. As you are sitting quietly, ask God for a gentle revelation of His glory. I don’t know what these two minutes will hold for you: maybe nothing but quiet, maybe a still small voice, maybe a quickening of the spirit’s presence. But I DO know it’s a good thing for us to invite God to reveal Himself to us, that we might be encountered by this glorious glory of God.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with Your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of Your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.