Have you ever, in a time of worshiping the Lord, asked the Lord to show you His Glory? I have. Perhaps I said it because it sounded like a deep thing to say. But more so I think I’ve said it because I assumed that when I said it, the heavens would open up and shower beautiful blessings on my head. Although, it is true that God will answer our prayers and shower the blessings on our head, but it’s only a half-truth.
In the book of John, there’s a story about a man named Lazarus who was very sick. His sisters sent for Jesus in a desperate attempt to save his life. When Jesus heard the news, he didn’t blink or drop everything to come to Lazarus’ rescue. He calmly said, “This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” (John 11:4)
There have been times in my life when I’m praying hard for a thing and it seems that then is when all hell likes to break loose and I’m so tempted to give up and say, later for this. Obviously God isn’t going to answer so let me handle this. But one day God told me, Becky, this “sickness” is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” In other words, if I may, “This is not about you, Becky! What I’m doing is, I’m setting the stage to perform a miracle for you so that when others see what I’ve done, I will get some glory out of it.”
If you’re familiar with this story, you know that Lazarus does in fact die from his sickness…only to be raised from the dead by Jesus. If God says that it will be done, then you can surely take that word to the bank!
You see, you and I are not our own. We were bought with a price. We were not put here to be mega ministers or famous singer or world-renowned authors; or even perfect wives, wonderful mothers or extraordinary friends. We were put here to bring glory to God. Perhaps He will use those things as an avenue to get His glory, but He’s going to get glory out of our lives one way or another.
No place in scripture is the glory of God more impactful than when our Savoir dies on the cross. The glory doesn’t always start pretty or pleasant to us. But boy does the glory of God know how to make a finish because that same glory that caused Jesus to get up on that cross and submit to death, allowed Jesus to rise again on the third day and as a result rescue all of man kind from death.
The title of this devotional is properly named “Oh the Glory!” because sometimes, you will want to cry out and say, “Oh!” but in the end, that “Oh!” will be turned to gladness and you will then be able to say a new “Oh!
rebeccagreene 