When we think of god like powers, we often think in terms of wielding power and control over others. Maybe conquering or owning everything through being unbeatable. Think of how all the great human empires came into existence, using force. Some even believed themselves to be gods.

But if God is all powerful, is that His Glory? Being the source and nourishment of all things would be His Nature and it would be like me saying "look I can control my thumb, look how it moves, all glory to me".

So how does God display His Glory? From what we learn of Him through His Son Jesus, who is the Glory of the Father and the unveiling of what His essence is like, we see something quite unexpected.

Rather than a display of empirical power, we find that He is a humble servant. Laying down the exercise of control. Arriving among shepherds and born to a peasant girl. He spends His time with the outcasts of society, helping the poor and healing desperate and sick folk. The religious people seem to miss the point when He says that this is what the kingdom of heaven looks like on earth and conspire against Him. Jesus, undeterred, knowing that He will be crucified, has one thing to show by His life and death.

This is to demonstrate that the Father is not angry with us but rather, that the Fathers Glory is self sacrificial love, which is how the triune God exists. Exercising this Glory, He prays for His enemies to be forgiven. Using no violence, He beats all the lies and shame used to control people and begins the reconciliation that will unite us to Himself in unending love and joy. Maybe this sounds too simple but why overcomplicate things with religious protocol and rules when Jesus did not.