Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name; worship the Lord in the splendor of God’s holiness.
Psalm 29:1-2 NIV
I was blessed to take renewal leave this summer. It was my first actual renewal leave since beginning in ministry in 1994. My hope was to rest, connect with family, review my years of ministry, and, ultimately, re-join and re-align with God. I discovered that I had so focused on the role and mission of my current calling in ministry that I had equated that with my relationship with God. It was four full weeks into renewal that I recognized release had taken place so that my relationship with God was properly renovated. With the renovation came the wonder of seeing God again and in that wonder just glorifying God. I came to again realize that is God’s ultimate purpose. And, the wonder of it all is that I/we get to participate!
Would it surprise you to learn that God exists to showcase God? Everything, everywhere, all things, all actions, all God does or doesn’t do, all we do or don’t do, everything that happens to us or doesn’t happen to us, good and beautiful, bad and ugly, God will be glorified in it all.
God told Moses: “by those who come near to me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified” (Lev.10:3NKJV). Why did God choose Abraham and ultimately the Israelites? “The people whom I have formed for myself will declare my praise” (Is.43:21). Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? “I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord” (Ex.14:4).
Why do the heavens exist? “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps.19:1). Why do we exist? “All who claim me as their God will come, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them” (Is.43:7). Even our times of struggle God uses for his glory, “Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory” (Ps.50:15).
Glory, the word, signals high honor. The root of the Hebrew term for glory means heavy, weighty, or important. God’s glory celebrates his significance, his uniqueness, his one-of-a-kind-ness, his holy-ness. As Moses sang, “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Ex.15:11). When we think of God’s glory, we must think of God’s preeminence, God’s incomparability and God’s priority. God’s glory is his priority. All of creation promotes God and his glory. Jesus taught us to make God’s glory our priority in prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed (sacred, holy, set apart, glorified) be your name” (Mt.6:9).
Every act of Jesus reveals God’s glory. The writer of Hebrews states, “The Son reflects God’s Glory” (1:3). The night before he was crucified, Jesus declared, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour?’ No, it was for this very reason I came … Father, glorify your name.” And Father God responded, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again” (Jn.12:27-9). Jesus declared his mission a success even before the crucifixion and resurrection saying, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (Jn.17:4). Did you hear that? Success is not so much in the things we do as it is in whether we have given God glory by doing it! Can you say that about everything you do?
God has one goal. In Isaiah God says, “For my own sake, for my own sake (remember: repetition gives emphasis), I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another” (48:11). The Message translates this verse, “I have my reputation to keep up.”
Make no mistake. God has no ego problem. He does not reveal his glory for his own good. We need to see God’s glory for our good. Think of it this way. You’re floundering neck-deep in a dark cold sea – ship sinking, life jacket deflating, strength waning. From the darkness comes the voice of a lifeboat pilot. You cannot see him. What would you prefer him to do, remain silent and say nothing? No, in Biblical jargon you want him to show his glory! You want him to shout, “I’m here. I have room for you. I can save you.” Drowning passengers want him to show his presence.
We should want God to reveal his glory. We should want God to promote himself as much as possible. Look around. People are thrashing around in the sea of guilt, shame, anger, and despair. Life isn’t working. We’re going down and we need God, fast. We need to see God’s glory. We need a strong hand to pull us to safety. We need God to make himself known. We need God to promote God and all that God is – and the louder the better.
And once we are saved, what becomes our priority? Simple, promote God. Declare God’s glory. Tell others, “Hey! Over here! Able life-saver is here! God can save you!” “Not to us, O Lord, but to you goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness” (Ps.115:1NLT). If we boast at all, we “boast in the Lord” (2 Cor.10:17). We couldn’t save us, but God could … and did! And God is able to save all the others too. We are to promote God and God’s glory.
God awoke you this morning for one purpose: to declare God’s glory. David encourages, “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (1 Chr.16:24). Paul declares, “There is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him” (1 Cor.8:6NLT). It’s all about God! It’s all for God! Say that with me: It’s all about God! It’s all for God!
Why does the earth spin? For God. Why do you have talents and abilities? For God. Why do you have money or poverty? For God. Why do you have strength or struggles? For God. Eugene Peterson translates Paul:
Is there anyone around who can explain God?
Anyone smart enough to tell [God] what to do?
Anyone who has done [God] such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice?
Everything comes from [God];
Everything happens through [God];
Everything ends up in [God].
Always glory! Always Praise!
Yes, Yes. Yes.
(Ro.11:33-36 The Message)
Everything and everyone exist to reveal God’s glory! How about it … will you Declare God’s Glory with me??
With you on this wonderful journey,
DS John