Glory is a word that has lost it's lustre. Usually we hear this word applied in secular culture to athletics or fame, or in the church it's often thrown about without much reverence or understanding. We find in Isaiah that glory only applies to God, and that He does not share it. Listen as Pastor Tyler Jones explains the depths of God's glory, and our honored call in reflecting that glory. True happiness is only found, as you will see, in worshiping God in His glory, and living out His reflection in us.
Isaiah 42:8
"I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other..."
Revelation 14:7
And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory…”
Isaiah 43:6-7
"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Exodus 33:18
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
Exodus 33:19
And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Exodus 33:20-23
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Psalm 8:4-5
What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” - C.S. Lewis
Questions for Reflection
1) How do you avoid being a legalist? How do you avoid being a raging hedonist who dishonors Jesus? What part does God’s glory play in answering this question?
2) Why did God create something to love? What was His goal in creating you?
3) How will glorifying God make you happy? How will it bring fulfillment? How will you begin to worship God in your daily life?