As we sang this lyric, my heart cried out as it has often in the past. “Lord, show me a visible manifestation of Your glory.” I’ve longed to see something like I’ve read about at the Azuza street revival when a visible glory cloud showed up. I’ve seen the videos of the cloud that floated around at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. I’ve sought after this for years, really.

As I pressed into this desire of my heart, I heard the Lord nudge me, “Look around.”

I looked. People worshipping. People I know, some that I don’t. Some hands up, some eyes closed. A team of Levites going after it with all their hearts.

Then the Lord said in my heart, “to your left, and right, this IS a visible manifestation of my glory. You may think of them as distractions to your ability to reach My glory, but My glory is manifested through them.”

“If you can’t see it, it’s because you don’t esteem them the way I do. You don’t love them the way I do. You don’t see them through My eyes. You don’t see what I’ve placed in them.”

“If you would see them the way I see them, you would recognize the glory I’ve put in them, and the unity I prayed for would be one step nearer.”

Then the Lord reminded me of His high priestly prayer.

“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; – John 17:22

There it is. His glory manifest to my left and to my right, in front and behind me. I was surrounded by a manifestation of His glory, and as I looked through His eyes, I loved more, cared more, and understood. This is the path to unity in the body. Seeing His body with His eyes.

I’d still love to see some visible, tangible manifesttion, but today, I’m satisfied by His glory in you.

Love you,

Ben