"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God." -- I Cor. 10:31.
It is not simply what we do that concerns the Lord, but why we do it. The
single overriding consideration in every detail of our lives—even the simplest, like
eating and drinking—should be done to glorify the Lord. It is impressive to learn that,
even in these simple, necessary and mundane things of life, we can glorify Him by
receiving, thankfully, His provision for us, whether great or small.
Since gold, in Scripture, is symbolic often of the glory of God, it is
interesting to notice that the first of the three gifts the wise men brought was
gold. The primary focus of the Lord Jesus’ life on earth was the glory of God. At the
close of His earthly service, He said to the Father in prayer: "I have glorified
Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do" (John
17:4).
In I Cor. 3, when the apostle speaks of that which is built on the Lord Jesus Christ,
he notes that the wood, hay and stubble will not stand the test of His judgment. However,
the gold, silver and precious stones will abide!
The gold is that which is done to the glory of God. The silver (symbol of
redemption) represents that which is done for the salvation of sinners. The precious
stones refer to that which is done to build up the people of God (living stones) in
their most holy faith.
We read that Solomon built the temple of great and costly stones. In I Peter 2:4-9 the
apostle reminds us that there is only one foundation for faith: the Lord Jesus, "To
Whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and
precious, Ye also, as living stones are built up a spiritual house..."
Paul writes, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ."
"On Christ salvation rests secure;
The Rock of Ages must endure;
Nor can that faith be overthrown
Which rests upon the Living Stone."
We can seek the glory of God in prayer, praise and worship, for He said, "Whoso
offers praise glorifies Me." We can seek His glory in the salvation of sinners,
and we can seek His glory in His saints.
It should be our supreme desire that He might be glorified in all things. Since all
that we are and have has come to us from the Lord, Who gives to all life, and breath, and
all things, our constant aim should not be to seek great things for ourselves, but great
things for Him. Four times we read that "Jonathan loved David as his own
soul." It was his love that caused him to lay everything at the feet of David:
"And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David,
and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle" (I Samuel
18:4).
David’s great victory over Goliath endeared him to Jonathan. David’s far
greater Son won a great victory at Calvary over sin, death, hell and the grave. He won the
battle for all His people.
"That Man of Calvary
Has won my heart from me,
And died
to set me free—
Blest Man of Calvary!"
Jeremiah warns us not to boast in the only three things man can boast in—what he knows
(or thinks he knows), what he does, and what he has. "Thus
saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory
in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in
this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight,
saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:23-24). (Notice in this verse that He reverses them
in the order of their importance.)
The Lord would appeal to all men everywhere to boast in Him.
The Lord exercises lovingkindness—in this we see His riches. How the Word of
God delights to tell us of the riches of His grace and the riches of His mercy! II Cor.
8:9 tells us that He became poor at Calvary to enrich us eternally. "Ye know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became
poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich."
"Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, God-like and Divine;
But the
bright glories of Thy grace
Above Thine other wonders shine.
Who is a pardoning God like
Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?"
"He delighteth in mercy" (Micah 7:18), for "joy shall be in
heaven over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:7).
The Lord exercises judgment. Justice and judgment are the habitation of His
throne. He knows both the actions and the hearts of all in His domain. All His actions are
based upon His infinite wisdom. (Men’s decisions are often based on inadequate
information.) He knows the end from the beginning. "All things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do" (Heb. 4:13); or, as the
Apostle Peter put it, "Lord, Thou knowest all things."
The Lord exercises righteousness in the earth. In human government, in spite of
what they say, often it is "MIGHT makes RIGHT." In the economy of God, it is RIGHT
that makes MIGHT.
"What now baffles us finds its solution
On higher planes of life, in clearer
light—
That all things make their costly contribution
To serve the purposes of good and
right."
(Max Reich)
Scripture singles out three men, among many, who sought their own glory in wisdom,
power and riches: (l) Herod (Acts 12:21-23) — His speech was said to be "the
voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him, because
he gave not God the glory..." He was not smitten because of what the people
did, but because of what he failed to do.
(2) Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-31) — "The king spake, and said, Is not
this great Babylon, that I have built...by the might of my power, and for
the honor of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a
voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is
departed from thee!"
(3) The Rich Man of Luke 12 (verses 19-20) — He said, "I will say to my
soul...thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
merry. But God said...Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:
then whose shall those things be...?" How foolish it is for men to boast of
anything that they have, for all, without exception, has come to us from God—our
intelligence, our health, our opportunities. "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?
Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?"
(I Cor. 4:7). What we sing is far truer than we may honestly acknowledge: "Praise
God, from Whom all blessings flow!"
All of us are prone to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but none
of us can think more highly of the Lord than we ought to think. As the Psalmist
(34:2), we should say, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord." We
should be like the Apostle Paul, who wrote, "God forbid that I should glory, save
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14).
Let us, like Paul, glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us,
for His grace is sufficient for all the way to the glory He has prepared for all His own
to share. "The Lord will give grace and glory" (Ps. 84:11), for "the
God of all grace hath called us to His eternal glory," where He will be glorified
in all His saints.
"Oh, that will be glory for Thee;
When by His grace I shall look on His
face,
That will be glory for Thee!"
Perhaps today! "...Abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." -- I John 2:28
THAT I MAY KNOW HIM
O for a deeper knowledge of Thy ways!
More heart-to-heart communing, Lord, with Thee;
Like Mary would I hear Thy words, and gaze
Upon Thy face, Thy glory there to see;
Bask in the sunlight of the realms above,
And learn the depth and height of Thine exhaustless love.
Anoint mine eyes Thy lowly path to trace,
Thou Blessed One, from childhood to the cross.
Thou wast made poor, that we, enriched by grace,
Might count our former gain but dung and dross.
No place earth found Thee where to lay Thy head,
Yet for earth’s guilty ones Thy precious blood was shed.
Let Thy dear service be our heart’s delight;
On Thee be spent our spikenard-casket choice;
Renew our strength throughout the weary fight,
Nor let earth’s tumult drown Thy gracious voice.
Faithful to Thee whilst Thou art still away,
Oh, let us watch to hail the first glad streak of day.
Yes, precious Lord, the moment draweth near,
When we no more in stranger-guise shall roam;
Caught up to meet Thee—past the desert drear—
The twinkling of an eye shall take us home.
Let us meanwhile in patience pass along,
Sure of the crown, the palm, the victor’s triumph-song!
... Hannah K. Burlingham