ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

2Cor. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

The saying there was an “elephant in the room” is quite a descriptive phrase. It is often used when something awkward or uncomfortable is obviously present in a room and no one acknowledges its presence. The purposeful ignoring and pretending makes the “elephant” even more apparent and all the participants even more uncomfortable. That’s how the anointing often is treated. The Holy Spirit’s presence can sometimes be so incredibly strong that it becomes impossible to miss it (just like the elephant) but His presence is so controversial to some they would rather pretend not to notice. In today’s verse Paul used an interesting phrase to describe the anointing or the glory of The Lord. He described it as a weight of glory. Actually, the Old Testament word means weight, or more literally, heavy. The Old Testament prophets described the glory of The Lord as “heavy”. Anyone who has experienced the anointing can’t help but understand. The presence often comes with a “pressing down” or incredible heaviness. That’s why glory in the Old Testament was called by the Hebrew word KABOD. It literally means heavy. Here is Adam Clarke’s thoughts on that powerful phrase ” weight of glory”.

“It is every where visible what influence St. Paul’s Hebrew had on his Greek: כבד cabad, signifies to be heavy, and to be glorious; the apostle in his Greek unites these two significations, and says, WEIGHT of GLORY.” St. Chrysostom’s observations on these words are in his very best manner, and are both judicious and beautiful:.
“The apostle opposes things present to things future; a moment to eternity; lightness to weight; affliction to glory. Nor is he satisfied with this, but he adds another word, and doubles it, saying. This is a magnitude excessively exceeding.”

As I write today’s devotion, we are in the midst of our Summer Saturation meetings at Victory Fellowship. These meetings are intended to allow extended amounts of time soaking in God’s presence. On the first night of the meeting! I ran smack into that elephant totally by surprise. Joe and Beckie Cruise were leading that service and during the worship I found myself sinking to the floor. Before I realized what was going on, the elephant had camped out right on top of my chest. The longer I stayed on the floor, the heavier the presence became. It was as if the weight of heaven was pressing down on me. Some may think that these kind of meetings are unimportant, others may say they are unscriptural, and still others may think it is all a fraud. As for me, I think this is a greatly needed opportunity for me and “whosoever will” to have a time of intimacy with God. In that place of intimacy, all things are possible. First love is restored, addictions fall off, emotional and physical healings take place; the weight of glory becomes like a hyperbaric chamber. This is the place of life change and restoration. So if you notice an elephant in the room, stop pretending that He’s not there, your life is about to change.