Wow. All I can say is that my heart is so full right now. My mom had surgery today and my dad is due for an MRI on his back; things are uncertain. But when I'm in the presence of the Lord, it doesn't matter. It fades. I recently discovered this new worship song by Cory Asbury, "Shekinah Glory". My world has been changed because of how God has used this song. I can't get it out of my head. I don't want to. In a sense, it's spurred me on to "seek and find" (Matthew 7) more of God.I am so excited to lead this song one day. Though, the lyrics got me thinking. As a worship leader, it's my responsibility to either pick songs that have spiritual concepts that my fellow worshipers can understand OR I should take the time to explain the concept. Too many times this is neglected, and it leaves people confused and disengaged or sincerely singing words that mean nothing to them. So, before I invite you to worship with me at the end of this blog, let's find out, briefly, what Shekinah glory really is.
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| I always dissect a song before I teach/lead it. |
The word shekinah does not appear in the Bible, but the concept clearly does. The Jewish rabbis coined this extra-biblical expression, a form of a Hebrew word that literally means "he caused to dwell," signifying that it was a divine visitation of the presence or dwelling of JEHOVAH God on this earth. The Shekinah was first evident when the Israelites set out from Succoth in their escape from Egypt. There it appeared as a cloudy pillar in the day and a fiery pillar by night: “After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people” (Exodus 13:20-22).
God spoke to Moses out of the pillar of cloud in Exodus 33, assuring him that His Presence would be with the Israelites (v. 9). Verse 11 says God spoke to Moses “face to face” out of the cloud, but when Moses asked to see God’s glory, God told Him, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live” (v. 20). So, apparently, the visible manifestation of God’s glory was somewhat muted. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock, covered him with His hand, and passed by. Then He removed His hand, and Moses saw only His back. This would seem to indicate that God’s glory is too awesome and powerful to be seen completely by man.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US, TODAY, IN WORSHIP?
When we sing, "release the fulness of Your Spirit, Shekinah glory come, Shekinah Glory come", we're simply asking God to make his presence manifest. Yes, He is always with us. If we have asked Jesus Christ to forgive us and be with us, His spirit dwells within us. In this case, we are asking God to move in a special way-- to move upon our hearts, to speak to us, and to manifest Himself in ways that are more uncommon. Personally, my goal as a worshiper is to live in the "uncommon" manifestations of His presence.
So, I invite you to shut off to world for a moment, and worship with me. I know this song will bless you. Not only will it move you deeply, it will have you dancing for joy by the end. Be blessed. I love you. More importantly, God loves you, and He cares for you so, so much.
