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Excerpt:

Born for the Glory - Background Page


Paul, Bunty and David Collins write:

Even before we begin, we realize that the task we have set ourselves in this book is a daunting one. Who can describe the glory of God!? How can you describe the indescribable? Who can express even the little we know of His glory to this point, let alone its fullness, so awesome and wonderful is it! If we were to try to describe the color red to a person without sight how would we do it? Our whole basis for describing anything new is through comparison. We say red "like and apple" or red "like blood". But for a person who is sightless these comparisons have no meaning. It is the same when we attempt to describe the glory of God. This is why the Bible uses words like "incomparable", "immeasurable", "indescribable".

"'To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?' says the Holy One ..." Isaiah 40:25-26.

Yet we feel compelled of the Lord to attempt to put into words what is really impossible to express. At least we know we are in good company in this. The writers of the Old and New Testaments, even though under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, constantly expressed this same sense of awe and inadequacy when trying to describe what they had seen or experienced of the wonder and glory of God.

Moses declared....

"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?" (Exodus 15:11)...

And the Psalmist...

"The heavens praise your wonder, O Lord ... for who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? ... he is more awesome than all who surround him. O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you" Psalm 89:5-8.

So great was Paul's sense of awe at the revelation of God's glory he constantly used the superlative language in his writings. In his second letter to the Corinthians he describes "a man" (obviously, by the context, speaking of himself) who was "caught up to the third heaven ... he heard inexpressible things... surpassingly great revelations..." (12:1-10)

He prays for the Ephesians that they may know of God...

"... this love that surpasses knowledge.. " Ephesians 3:19.

"... his incomparably great power for us who believe..." Ephesians 1:18.

"... the unsearchable riches of Christ..." Ephesians 3:8.

In his day Paul was a man who had everything considered important and valuable.. wealth, status, education and religious standing.... but he declares...

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:8.

So it is with a great sense of awe and total dependency upon God that we attempt to put into words what He has burned within our hearts. We trust that the Holy Spirit will, through feeble words, reveal the wonder of the glory of the Lord and His purpose for His Church which has been...

"Born for the Glory"!

Paul Collins, Bunty Collins and David Collins - Australia, 1997

If you would like a copy or copies of "Born for the Glory," email to [email protected] or write to:

Born for the Glory
P.O. Box 1033
Newcastle 2300
Australia

The price per book is as follows:

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