MARY GLORY-FACE" was the name by which a happy old Christian woman was always known in her native village; and it suited her well.
Morning, noon and night her heart and mouth were full of joy and praise and the glory of her beloved Lord shone in her face.
As she went about her work, she blessed God; when she talked to her neighbors, she spoke joyously of His love and goodness to her.
One summer morning, as she stood at her cottage door, a neighbor said to her: "We wish you would be more quiet about your God and His love, Mary Glory-Face. You're brimful of it."
"Yes," added another, "we should like you to keep it a bit more to yourself, that's what we mean."
"Impossible!" said the old lady pleasantly. "No, no, I just can't help praising Him."
Then some of the neighbors complained to her landlord, and asked him to give her notice to vacate her cottage. But he said, "Why, Mary Glory-Face pays her rent better than any of you; I shall certainly not lose her."
But he did call on the old woman and said: "Perhaps, Mary, you could come down from the skies a bit. Need you be always so full of praise?"
With a beaming smile she answered at once, "It's just eleven years ago that God told me I was saved. And bless His holy Name, He will never hear the last of it!"
So Mary was left in peace, and her influence for good told upon her neighbors and friends till first one and then another joined her in her songs of praises.
When Mary was at last called to go home to be with her Saviour, a young pastor sat by her bedside and asked, "Is your faith strong now, Mary, as you near the glory?"
He thought it strange as she shook her head and answered:
"No, it's not faith with me now. It's that I've got the 'Author and Finisher' of faith with me indeed; it's that what is filling me so full of praise. I'm just looking unto Jesus `the Author and Finisher' of faith; and it's grand!"
Thus "Mary Glory-Face" passed into the presence of Him "whom having not seen, she loved." Thus, for years, even on earth, was the plain old country-woman "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord . . . changed into the same image, from glory to glory even as by the Lord the Spirit," (2 Cor. 3:18) who filled her heart and mouth with praise.
This same Lord says to all His children, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me." Psalm 50:23.
Messages of the Love of God 2/16/1975