For The Glory

A little change in the weather today; we enjoyed a good thunderstorm last night, and we get another this morning. The temp is fairly warm, the cat is laying low, and things are wet. Okay, now that all of us are up to date on the current condition around me, what is there to say for the glory of God? Perhaps I worry too much about some great work that I can do and then give God the credit. It may be that you worry overmuch about filling out some sort of Christian time card today full of accomplishments that only you (at least in your own estimation) could do for the church. What if we both step back a second this morning and testify to what God has done for us this day?

I am alive this morning, at least to this point in writing the devotional. No ghost writing going on here! I did not create myself, make myself alive, or give myself the strength to grow up and live. God provided all of that. If a pumpkin appears on my vines outside in that garden yonder, I can cut the gourd off the vine and stop the growth. However, if one cuts the 'vine' going to that baby being born, it does not stop growing, but indeed seeks another source of nourishment. Who gave the little boy or girl that ability? God did of course, and He gives us the ability to continue growing, not just taking in food and air for existing as an infant, until we reach the size He has set. Imagine if our growth from infant to child to youth to adult didn't have an off switch. Yikes!

God saved me through His only Son, Jesus Christ. I didn't have anything to do with it. In fact, I was far in years from being born at that time. Hold it, erase the past...start over. Things are the same except that Jesus is here now, going to the cross to die for our sins. Yet, even if that were to happen, I could do nothing to save myself. I could not wash the Lord's feet to help my cause. Like Peter, I would need to give myself up and let Jesus serve me. Peter had a hard time with that; what difficulty might I face in the same circumstance? Yet, it did happen about 2,000 years ago, and we live in Christ today. Once given to my Lord Jesus, all I become is for the glory of God. Does this include all that I do, including those thoughts, you know the wrong kind of thoughts that come at times?

Sin is not for God's glory, but forgiveness, love, patience, peace, mercy, gentleness - all the great qualities that go into God's steadfast love do indeed glorify God our Father. We sin because we are broken, but God is changing us even as we testify to His great work in us.

For the glory of God, how are you today?
Bucky