Increasing the knowledge of His glory

Rev 4 (NIV)
6b In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"'Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,'
who was, and is, and is to come."
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being."

Presumably, the living creatures covered in eyes would have an acute awareness of God's presence on the throne, and it amazes me that they so are overwhelmed by the holiness, sovereignty, deity, omnipotence, and eternality that they repeat it over and over.  (Like an optical signal so bright that it saturates the detector of a spectrophotometer.)  In so doing, they are giving glory to God.  (In Heaven, I hope I get to learn how glory is measured.)  The 24 elders give glory to God, as well.

The creatures' recitation echoes from the scene in Isaiah 6:

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is [Yahweh] Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory."

The whole earth is already full of His glory.  It is everywhere.  But what needs to increase is the knowledge of His glory:

Hab. 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of [Yahweh]
    as the waters cover the sea.

I want my life to be constantly increasing the knowledge of the glory of God.

Father, too much of my life is interfering and distracting from the knowledge of your glory.  Holy Spirit, please purify me so that I can be more effective in showing your glory to people around me.  Jesus, I want to live like you.  I love you.

signs of progress

Last week, I received positive feedback about my application for tenure; there are still several steps in the approval process.  Also, we were able to register our environmental engineering program for a global academic ranking, so that was very encouraging, as well.

Father, thank you for the kindness and favor that you have shown me in this professional transition.  I love you.

father-brother-friend

When our kids were little, I felt a sobering responsibility to accurately represent the Father to them.  I wish I had started working on knowing the Father earlier in my life so that I could have been a better father to my kids.  The Father is so good, and I have misrepresented Him so many times.

When our two oldest boys were baptized, I realized that our children are not actually our own.  As a father, I am actually a big brother in the faith, a steward to lead them to know the Father and the Son (the only Begotten Brother).  I feel a responsibility to disciple them to know Jesus, love Him, and pursue Him.

Now that our two oldest boys are both in middle school, I'm realizing that I don't have as much time as I thought I did.  They want to spend time with their friends.  I want to develop a friendship with each of them.

My relationship with Yahweh is mysteriously multifaceted: I'm a son-brother-friend. I am a son of the Father.  I am a brother of Christ.  I am a friend of Holy Spirit. Three-in-one. In my relationship with each of our children, I am a father-brother-friend.

Father, please help me be a good father to our children.  I want to represent you well.  Jesus, please help me be a good big brother to these younger ones in the faith.  I want to be a good example for them to follow.  Holy Spirit, please help me be a good friend to these friends of God.  I want it to be a good friendship for eternity, overflowing with your eternal  love. I love you.