Acts 6:15, 7:54-56 [Jewish leaders arrest Stephen because men lied about him.] At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. … The Jewish leaders were infuriated and shook their fists at Stephen in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

Three and a half-year-old Caleb ran ahead of me up the hill to the walkway around our local reservoir. I followed more slowly, carrying his fifteen-month-old sister, Talita. When we reached the top and could see the water, Talita said one word, “Wow.”

Caleb was distracted by a family of ducks, with four little ducklings. “Grammy, why aren’t they saying quack, quack, quack?”

But Talita still stared at the sunlight dancing on the water. A toddler vision of glory.

One morning in church (pre-Covid) as I worshiped the Lord, I saw the angels in Heaven praising the Lamb on the throne. They were singing with us, our music. An affirmation. The memory of that vision still gives me goose bumps. It was so unprecedented for me I have seldom spoken of it.

Wow.

All three members of the Trinity were involved in the glorious vision God gave Stephen. I love the fact that Jesus stood to receive him, and that Stephen said so out loud, so witnesses could know what he was seeing and transmit it to us. Almost every other time in Scripture, Jesus sits at God’s right hand.

On this Lord’s Day, may God grace us with a glimpse of his glory.

Nothing else will matter.