Day 108: Growing in the Glory of El HaKavod, The God Of Glory
Read: Isaiah 46:8 - 13
Let me ask you a question, it is kinda tricky, so be careful how
quickly you answer it. What color is water? Huh are you kidding me? No, I
really want to know the answer. And if you get it right, I will give
you 10 extra points on your exam for this section. I thought to myself,
wow, my Physics teacher was finally being kind and generous to his
students. That was a good thing for me and I guess for many others too
because this Physics stuff was tough. So, I figured I finally caught a
much needed break. So, I proceeded to put down what I was sure the
answer was 'blue', turned in my exam. I was so proud of myself that I
bragged to my Mom. Turned faucet on - water - clear!
So, now
nearly in tears, knowing for sure I had blown 10 extra points on my
exam, I asked her Why is the ocean blue? Why are leaves green? Why do
birds sing? One simple reason she said: 'because I guess God wanted it
that way so little children can learn to observe what is going on around
them, study and finally pass Physics tests.' I can look back rather
fondly on that 'Momma knows best' lesson when I read He exists, creates,
and loves ... for Himself (Isaiah 46:9-10). I realize today this life
is not about me; it's all about Him! God wants the glory and will
receive the glory. He is a jealous God and will not share that glory
with anyone or anything else, even me.
This kicks against me
slightly - because I feel that desire for glory too, yet it's a sin
(pride). So why is God allowed to want glory and fame, yet I am not?
Because He is God. Who else would you want God to magnify if not
Himself? Who else is there that God could humble Himself before? There
is none. And when I take what is rightfully His, then I commit idolatry
and the sins of pride cloud His glory. Everything God is & does has a
divine purpose and intent far greater than we can visualize (Isaiah
42:8, 43:7, 48:11). It is essential to remember that we can provide
nothing to God that He needs. He doesn't need our service, our worship,
our love. But we need Him to grow.
Yes, it is quite the
opposite - we need Him. For everything: 'Certainly, we live, move, and
exist because of him. As some of your poets have said, ‘We are God’s
children.’ (Acts. 17:28). God gets glory for everything. Everything!
The beautiful and the ugly, the bad and the good, the dark and the
light. From animals, from the stars, from man, from it all. But we have a
capacity to grow in how we glorify God - above all creation. We must
respond in steps. With every bit by bit, little by little, we respond
rightly to each stage and we will grow. Higher and higher we'll go, and
the higher we can climb in God's glory, the more we can see and
understand about life around us.
Let Us Pray: Loving Father,
from Your generous hands flows every good and precious gift. We receive
physical, material, relational, and spiritual blessings that far
surpass our daily needs. We acknowledge that You are the one and only
true God, the Savior and Redeemer of our soul. We surrender to You our
pride today. We give You glory for all that we are and all that we hope
to be. Be glorified in and through us as we walk in humility and express
thanksgiving to You in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Isaiah 46:8 - 13
Let me ask you a question, it is kinda tricky, so be careful how quickly you answer it. What color is water? Huh are you kidding me? No, I really want to know the answer. And if you get it right, I will give you 10 extra points on your exam for this section. I thought to myself, wow, my Physics teacher was finally being kind and generous to his students. That was a good thing for me and I guess for many others too because this Physics stuff was tough. So, I figured I finally caught a much needed break. So, I proceeded to put down what I was sure the answer was 'blue', turned in my exam. I was so proud of myself that I bragged to my Mom. Turned faucet on - water - clear!
So, now nearly in tears, knowing for sure I had blown 10 extra points on my exam, I asked her Why is the ocean blue? Why are leaves green? Why do birds sing? One simple reason she said: 'because I guess God wanted it that way so little children can learn to observe what is going on around them, study and finally pass Physics tests.' I can look back rather fondly on that 'Momma knows best' lesson when I read He exists, creates, and loves ... for Himself (Isaiah 46:9-10). I realize today this life is not about me; it's all about Him! God wants the glory and will receive the glory. He is a jealous God and will not share that glory with anyone or anything else, even me.
This kicks against me slightly - because I feel that desire for glory too, yet it's a sin (pride). So why is God allowed to want glory and fame, yet I am not? Because He is God. Who else would you want God to magnify if not Himself? Who else is there that God could humble Himself before? There is none. And when I take what is rightfully His, then I commit idolatry and the sins of pride cloud His glory. Everything God is & does has a divine purpose and intent far greater than we can visualize (Isaiah 42:8, 43:7, 48:11). It is essential to remember that we can provide nothing to God that He needs. He doesn't need our service, our worship, our love. But we need Him to grow.
Yes, it is quite the opposite - we need Him. For everything: 'Certainly, we live, move, and exist because of him. As some of your poets have said, ‘We are God’s children.’ (Acts. 17:28). God gets glory for everything. Everything! The beautiful and the ugly, the bad and the good, the dark and the light. From animals, from the stars, from man, from it all. But we have a capacity to grow in how we glorify God - above all creation. We must respond in steps. With every bit by bit, little by little, we respond rightly to each stage and we will grow. Higher and higher we'll go, and the higher we can climb in God's glory, the more we can see and understand about life around us.
Let Us Pray: Loving Father, from Your generous hands flows every good and precious gift. We receive physical, material, relational, and spiritual blessings that far surpass our daily needs. We acknowledge that You are the one and only true God, the Savior and Redeemer of our soul. We surrender to You our pride today. We give You glory for all that we are and all that we hope to be. Be glorified in and through us as we walk in humility and express thanksgiving to You in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
http://www.youtube.com/
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