THE FULLNESS OF LIFE
The Ultimate Seven: Fundamental principles of a God-centered life (10th of a Series)
7. GOD'S PERFECT GLORY.
God who has no beginning is perfectly glorified in Himself for all eternity, before the beginning of time. When He created all things both visible and invisible, material and spiritual in the beginning, He saw that it is all good. He is perfectly glorified in His Creation. He is glorified in the countless heavenly creatures that minister to Him day and night, invisible to the human eye and incomprehensible to the human mind in their majesty, power and wisdom. He is glorified in the innumerable living and non-living creatures in this vast physical universe in the diversity of their virtues and beauties and the wonders of their qualities and charisms. He is glorified in the many priceless gems and other treasures lie hidden in the depths of oceans or in deep caverns that compete with each other in their dazzling beauty while perhaps they remain forever hidden and undiscovered in the shroud of thick darkness! Consider, too, the myriad of flowers and plants across the plains or in the midst or rocks or in dense forest which, in the twinkling of eternity, sprung up to give glory to God and then perished and vanished in a short span of time unseen and unheard by anyone. Finally, considered the moving creatures that creep along the surface of the earth or swim in the seas or fly in the sky -- how numerous they are and how God is so glorified in them!
And yet God is perfectly even more in His plan of redemption, salvation and sanctification of the human race that fell into sin. For if through sin we have lost the glory that was given to us when God created us in His image and likeness, through the unconditional love and mercy of God He sent His Son to suffer and die for us that we may have a share in His glory. As St. Paul said in several occasions in his letters, "If we have suffered with Christ, we also will be glorified with Him".
In the end, the glory of God that will be revealed in His Saints will far surpass the glory which is rendered to Him by the material universe or even by the angels. As St. Paul expressed it, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits the eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its won will but by the will of Him who subjected it in hope; because creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-21).