ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TOKONAKI SANUALI 31, 2026

‘EKISOTO 39-40; ‘EFESO 1:15-23

By grace we are not just accepted into God's family, but the glory of his presence dwells in and among us.

Koe’uhi ko ‘Ene kelesi, ‘oku ‘ikai ngata pe ‘i hono tali kitautolu ki he famili ‘o e ‘Otua, ka ko e langilangi ‘o Hono fōtunga ‘oku nofo’ia kitautolu pea ‘oku ‘i hotau lotolotonga.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. (Ex. 40:34-38)

Reread that opening passage and let your heart be filled with the wonder that is captured here. Here is one of the most magnificent moments of divine grace in all of the Old Testament. We must never let words like these pass quickly through our minds as we move on to the next thing. This moment has been captured by God and written into his book so that today you and I would be stopped by it and left in awe. This has been retained for us in order to rescue us, change us, and produce in us a heart captured by a life shaped by God's glory.

It is hard for me to find words that properly express the wonder of this moment in God's redemptive narrative. The children of Israel have already proven themselves to be sinful, complaining, rebellious, and doubt-filled people. They have doubted God's presence and power, and they have questioned his wisdom. Shockingly, they have already erected an idol, giving this lifeless image credit for what only God, in his rescuing mercy, could have done (Ex. 32:1-6). Yet God had a plan for his people: out of them the Messiah would come. That plan depended on the Lord's constant presence with them. The Israelites were included in God's plan not because they had done things to deserve it, but because in his sovereign mercy he had chosen to place his love on them. It is humbling to understand and confess that what we need most in life and death we have no ability to earn or deserve. God with us, in us, and for us is always the result of one thing: grace.

The cloud and the fire were physical, visible symbols of God's presence with his people. The cloud and fire pictured that Israel had been sanctified by God. What do I mean by this? God had set Israel apart from every nation on earth for his will and his glory. These visible symbols were to remind them again and again that they were the children of God. If you're God's child, his presence and glory have descended on you not because of what you've done, but because of what Jesus has done for you. God's glory resting on you means not only that he is with you, but that you belong to him, set apart for his purpose and his glory.