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The Glory of God


            John Piper helped me understand the meaning of the glory of God in a deeper way when he wrote: The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart.  God’s ultimate goal is to uphold and display the glory of his name (John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010) p. 41.)  I know that Jesus was passionate to bring glory to God and be glorified by Him…yet the glorification process remained a fuzzy, vague notion, almost holy gobbledygook if I’m completely honest.  Somehow this chapter helped me understand what I can do about a subject that I have read over and over in the Bible. 

            This book has opened a new doorway to understanding the connection between the glory of God and the character of God.  The glory of God is a spiritual reality that anchors the purpose of my life.  It forces me to get in touch with God’s original plan for all of us in this beautiful, abundant universe He put together. When I am speaking to women audiences I like to point out that woman was the crowning glory of all creation since she was the last creation—the piece-de-resistance—so to speak.  But that’s not really true.  God, the Creator, is the One to Whom all creation points to.  He was glorifying Himself in every act of creation.

            Now I realize that sounds like He is a conceited God.  Why would He glorify Himself?  The answer: for the glory of man.  It is truly glorious when I recognize the glory of God and simply in enter into the glory that He displays of Himself.  In that simple reflective thought I receive the glory He longs to give to me. 

            Life was created to become an adventure of sharing in God’s glory.  Sin turned that purpose of man upside down and we have grown sour to the thought of God’s glory desiring instead to glorify ourselves apart of God just like the originator of sin—Satan himself.  Though it has been proven an impossible task, we pursue it nonetheless.  Our souls have grown so dull to our original design.  It takes real effort to seek God’s glory.

            Just because I am inspired by Jesus to want God’s glory doesn’t make the effort a daily battle.  I’m really an expert at seeking my own glory.  My secret thoughts are constantly about myself.  I can look like I desire to give God glory on the outside and write about it in a devotional, but the truth is that God’s glory is not always on my mind even when I am meeting with Him in prayer.

            What a glorious, patient and all wise God this God is who designed us to give Him glory.  He truly is generous with us by even accepting the brief moments of glorifying Him that we bring from time to time. 1 Corinthians 10:31 gives direction about how to glorify God.  So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Take a sip of water and glorify God that you have clean drinking water readily available to you.  The possibilities are limitless when it comes to God’s glory!

            Our God is worth all the glory I can muster in thanks and praise for all His goodness to us.  Take a moment in each day to bring God glory—see how that transforms your soul. 

Copyright © 2014. Deborah R Newman teatimeforyousoul.com  All Rights Reserved.
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