Why did he do it?

 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36 ESV)

Often, we talk about glorifying God. People are okay with how we glorify God and why we glorify God. God is God and deserves to be glorified. Generally, there are no issues with this concept.

When we tell others that because God loved us so much, our purpose in our lives is to glorify God, it becomes an issue for many. Why is my purpose to worship God? Is that the only reason God made me was to fan his ego? People will take real offense to this principle.

I constantly tell my children to do everything to glorify God. If you are eating, shopping, playing golf, or reading a book to my grandchildren do it to glorify God. Some people get angry over this idea.

What I would like to do is give you a few verses that remind us of this principle:

Ephesians 1:5-6: “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” God predestined you to be his, you are his elect. Not only did God create you, but he said, nope this one is mine. That is a love that deserves glorification. So strong a love, it required taking a dirty rag, washing it clean in the blood of your own Son, and adopting it into your family. We are heirs with Christ. But to say it is to the praise of his glorious grace, some will reject it, they do not like it. So, we are only saved to glorify God and our life means nothing? This is a very wrong and untrue sentiment.

Isaiah 43:6-7: “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; 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.” Being created is a blessing. I am glad I was created because God loved me enough to create me but also re-create me as his child through salvation.  Isaiah wrote God created us for his glory. People have a problem with this idea. We are created for God’s glory to glorify him and for others to see his glory through our existence. This turns people off. They see it as supplicating God’s ego. I hope in your mind glorifying God is a desire. I hope your view is not, “Well, I wish God had just made me for me, why is it about Him?” I hope that is not you.

Luke 2:11-13 ESV.  “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” I needed a Savior, I needed someone to save me from my sin. You needed someone to save you from your sin and God sent Jesus, and the angels glorified God. The angels did not worship you. They were not glorifying your birth; it was about Jesus being born so that you may be rejoined with God. Therefore, you are rejoined to God so you can worship Him. People have a problem thinking the only reason they were created was to worship God in everything they do. That is a problem for many.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15: “For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

This passage is confusing for some. Paul talks about dying and still living, but when you explain it, like all scripture, it is about Christ. Christ died for us all and we in this world, through faith, died with Him, only to be reborn in the Spirit through his resurrection. As we are resurrected in Him, we live for Him, for the glory of God. People have a problem with this. Did Christ die for me or ultimately for Him, or God the Father, or the Spirit? Is this about lifting God up, or lifting man up? Is this all about God’s ego or man's salvation?  People will have a problem with this idea. We are saved so that we are rejoined in a relationship with God, as such, we receive increasing enjoyment and blessings through Him so that our satisfaction in God glorifies Him above everything else in our lives.

Where are you when it comes to glory? Is it about you? Do you partake in works that glorify you and what you do for God or is it about praising the Lord for what he has done for you? Are you still living in the world, with no relationship with God? Are you living for your satisfaction unable to achieve contentment? Bumper stickers can be corny but one is true, “No God, No Peace, Know God, Know Peace.” A simple idea, brilliant, and true.

Do you know God?

Grace and Peace!