WHEN ALL WAS WELL

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And he said, “Hear me, brothers and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,... But being full of the Holy Spirit, he (Stephen) gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:2‭, ‬55‭, ‬59‭-‬60 LSB

¶Glory is not something we go away to. It comes to us. It dawned crystal-clear for Stephen in his remembrance of God's mighty works among His people. The age-old story broke open anew his awareness of God's glory. Everything, the wandering, the promise, the captivity, the exile, the prophets, all was glorious; all was well; all was forgiven.

The theodicy question: "How can evil exist in the world if God is both all-loving and all-powerful?" fades to insignificance before the experience of His glorious coming into our lives. For then "we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Cor 3: 18

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