Glory

9:23  Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the 
mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, 
that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the 
earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
	I heard recently of a man who, through some special privilege, got to go to the 
White House to meet President and Laura Bush. Of course, it was a much-anticipated 
experience, and he was nervous and excited. Although it would be a group meeting and 
there would be no real opportunity to just sit down for a 'one-on-one', it would most 
certainly be the chance of a lifetime for a normal person not in the circles of government. 
The meeting did take place in a tour fashion, with the President and Laura taking them on 
a limited tour of the White House. They actually got to make small talk here and there, 
and even in this limited communication there was a revelation of the couple that went far 
beyond what could ever be portrayed in the media. Although there had been much 
exposure to George Bush and his family through the information provided on television 
and in newspapers, when it came to really getting a sense of what the President is about, 
the man found that there is nothing like 'being there' with him. 
	Then, at the end of their meeting, the man had a chance to actually convey to 
President Bush a personal issue in his life regarding a serious illness and the gravity of 
his situation. Somehow, something that might have been somewhat awkward for any 
other politician was made to be an opportunity to show his real heart and the real power 
in his life. While he possessed the greatest power of any man in the world's system, he 
took time from his busy schedule to not only listen to a single story of difficulty, but to 
draw on the truly Greatest Power to make a difference in this man's situation. He prayed a 
sincere and heart-felt prayer, calling on the only One who could bring lasting change and 
healing. He wasn't so caught up in His own power that he wasn't able to draw on the One 
that he had found to be the center of his own life. This man had come to know the 
President personally in his encounter that would set him apart from the most learned and 
knowledgeable scholar of George Bush's life. He had actually spoken with, touched, and 
been hugged by the man, experiencing not only his thoughts, but also his presence. 
However he might have been prepared in the way of information never could have 
prepared him for what it was like to actually be there with him. 
	There is probably a similar account for each of us in the discovery of a person 
about whom we may have been told, but who turns out to be quite different than any 
expectation. When it comes to really knowing someone, the 'about' is most helpful, but 
the 'experience' will bring a sense of knowing that a lifetime of 'about' can never achieve. 
In fact, for this man, even the limited experience of the President's presence became more 
valuable to him than most other elements in his life. If you were to ask him 'how's it 
going', the first thing on his list would be the experience he just had with the President, 
not, perhaps, his new car, his job, or even his family. 
	Success in life is to be sought after and will be acquired by the person of a 
diligent and hard working character. But all the knowledge and wisdom one could gain, 
all the strength one could develop, and all the riches one might earn will become 
meaningless, not in the discovery of information about, but in the actual experience of the 
caring word, touch and embrace of the Father of life. From the moment He is truly 
known, there will be nothing of significance in life that measures up evenly closely to the 
nearness found to the One who is love. 
	It will never be enough to just see Him on TV or go through an extended Bible 
course about Him. It will not even be enough to work for Him and tell others how 
wonderful He is. The greatest passion for the Source of true abundant life will come from 
the intimate and personal touch of the Prince of Peace, where His healing and 
transforming presence pushes way past the limited realm of mental knowledge to the 
inner reaches of fellowship and relationship knowledge. This is where real trust, hope and 
faith are conceived, nourished and made to grow- in His presence alone.

8/16/06