They had so much to do. Candles to be trimmed . . . incense to be offered . . . bread to be put on the table. There were songs to be sung . . . prayers to be offered . . . worship to be given. But it all came to a stop when the cloud descended. All the busyness associated with ministering before God ceased when the glory of God came upon the place.

” . . . and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD, ‘For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever,’ the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” (2Chronicles 5:13-14 ESV)

So . . . what must it have been like to have your head in the cloud?

What was it like to experience the cloud descend? The same pillar of cloud manifest to lead the people out of Egypt. The same cloud that covered Mt. Sinai as God had His one-on-one with Moses. The same cloud that fell on the tent of meeting in the wilderness indicating that the glory of God had filled the the holy of holies. When you saw the cloud, the glory was present. So what was it like? One thing is clear . . . when the glory was present, the activity ceased.

When the glory falls . . . hit the pause button. All the hustle and bustle of temple ministry screeches to a halt when God is present. All the efforts of man cease when God is come. Time to stop being the Martha . . . busying yourself with much preparation . . . time to take the Mary posture . . . at the feet of the manifested glory of God. That’s at least part of what it is to have your head in the cloud.

When the glory is present the work stops. When God dwells among men, the efforts of men are not needed. Isn’t that my current state?

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

Behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus. He has come. The cloud has descended. He is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature” (Heb. 1:3) . . . and the God “who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Cor. 4:6). The glory is here. The efforts of man have ceased. Mine is now to abide in that glory. To walk with my head in that cloud.

Behold the glory of God in the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. He has filled the living temple of this sinner saved by grace. Not because of who I am, but because of what Christ has done. Mine now is to live in the ever-present Spirit . . . to walk in the Spirit . . . to be continually filled with the Spirit. That the glory might be known . . . that His will might done in and through me.

When the cloud falls . . . when the glory comes . . . strivings cease . . . the work stops . . .

Oh, that I might live more with my head in the cloud . . . amen?