Original: January 22, 2008
McMinnville, OR
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works--32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Psalm 104:31-33
We just celebrated what Shanna calls her favorite non-religious holiday. On the fourth of July the red, white, and blue decorations come out of the shed as we proudly celebrate our American independence. I can even lay claim to a distant relative who was a Minute Man in the Revolutionary war! July 4th is a day when Americans celebrate the freedom “Old Glory” represents.
Glory is an interesting word.
When I lead Bible studies I am amazed at the blank stares when I ask what the word glory means. The flag, “Old Glory”, is a physical representation for Americans of the freedom we have. As long as our flag flies Americans know that freedom reigns. The flag is a tangible expression of something intangible-freedom.
Glory is similar in that glory reveals something previously hidden or illuminates something obscure. Americans display, or bring glory to, our colors on Independence Day as tangible expression of freedom. The follower of Jesus brings glory to Christ by rigorously living out an intangible relationship with God through tangible means such as service, love, obedience and relationships.
In Psalm 104:31 the author writes, “May the Glory of the Lord endure forever”. In other words, let those that serve the living God finish well so that they may let Christ shine through their deeds. God want to display His creation or as the psalmist put it, “may the LORD rejoice in his work.”
God wants to put men on display.
Men of passion, men of courage, men who fear nothing but hell and God are the men God want to display.
Listen to what Paul writes, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
Men who glorify God (to glorify God is to reveal God to the world) are God’s greatest trophy. It is these men that God proudly displays in front of the world.
A man who is sold out for Jesus is God’s greatest trophy.
What kind of trophy will you be for the Master?
