v. 25 – be glory,

Devotional:

Glory means praise, honor, or distinction extended. 18 God’s glory is His holiness put on display for all created things to see. His glory is the measure of His significance, which is immeasurable. We are created for His glory. We are to give Him glory. We are saved for His glory. We are going to share in His glory for all eternity. The amount of content which could be written about God’s glory is absolutely endless because of its width, depth, and power. God’s glory is God’s primary motivation for doing anything He does. And He is always working to display and preserve His beauty, perfection, and infinite greatness.

In a similar manner to gravity, God’s glory is all around us and it’s central to our lives and to the very fabric of our universe. To say God is glorious is to say there is an absolute reality around which all human love, wonder, inspiration, praise, and affection are centered. We know of this reality deep in our bones, and yet, it is what we spend our time and energy looking for in this lifetime. We want to be filled with His glory and consumed by it because it is the only real thing in the world that can finally satisfy the deep longing of our souls.

Often, when we talk of God’s glory we speak of it as if it is some far-off land we are waiting to enjoy or like it is a mysterious spirit floating just above the ceiling, and if we sing loud enough or preach long enough maybe it will fall on us. It is neither. Hebrews 1:3 says that “He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (emphasis mine). We do not have to go any further than the person of Jesus to see, savor, and be enthralled by and with God’s infinite glory. Jesus is God’s glory on perfect display for us to know Him by. Jesus isn’t hiding God’s glory from us. In fact, He prayed in John 17:24 that “they may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”

Jesus prayed for you! How cool is that? And when He did, He asked God for you and me to be able to see His glory. I believe this is a prayer request God has answered by giving us eyes
of faith by which we see Jesus as the King of all Kings. I also believe Jesus’ prayer request is still being answered as we inch closer and closer to the day when we live in the new heavenly city where “the glory of God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

The fact that God’s primary motivation is His glory is the best news in the world. There is no one I have found that has written more eloquently or accurately about the magnificence and joy which is God’s glory than Jonathan Edwards. Here are some of his words: “God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean. God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion. Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected. He who has Christ has all he needs and needs no more.”

To trust in Jesus is to be wrapped up in the glory of God. It is to have found a diamond of endless depth and beauty and to have the ability to stare into it endlessly, always seeing more beauty, worth, and significance.

As we go about our lives today, and for all of our days, may we join with God in making His glory central to all our decisions, actions, and efforts. And by doing so, may we experience the unending joy which can only be produced by His infinite Glory at work in our finite lives.

REFLECTION:

In what ways have you experienced God’s glory in the last few weeks? How can you make God’s glory known today?