Glory part 2
My point in this Rant series (I think) is that we give God glory... because He's glorious. We don't PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens). We don't try to get God to move. He already moved. On the cross. And, really, from the foundation of the world. And, as I'm about to try to show you, when Jesus was born. Look at Luke 2:12-14, "And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men." Did you catch that? A baby is born. God in the flesh. Love in a body. And then all of the angels show us what the proper response to that is. Glory to God. And not just glory, but glory in the highest! Jesus said there's no greater love a man can have than to lay his life down for his friends, right? Well there's no greater glory than God so loving the world that He gave us His only begotten Son so that we might have something to believe in. And, in believing, not perish but have everlasting life. Because the thing--the person--we believe in is Jesus. Is love. And to live is to love. To love is to live. How else could we live forever other than through a love that never ends or fails? What more glory, or praise, could we give than for that love coming into our lives? In the beginning it was dark, and void, and without form. Then God said, "Let there be light." So that we could see. So that we could see HIM. So that we could see LOVE. And our response to that love? Glory to God in the highest. AND on earth... peace, good will toward men. Because peace and good will is what love produces. When you love someone--and this could probably be a whole Rant series--its really hard to not like them. Its really hard to hold a grudge against someone you love. Think about it. There's probably at least one person in your life who you will literally let them get away with anything. People on the outside don't understand that kind of thing. And when its me, all I can do is shrug my shoulders and say, "They're my favorite." People you would do anything for. My kid. My sister. One of the kids at work. Its a select few. But here's the point: You don't praise someone in order to get them to do something. You praise them because they've done something. And I understand edifying people. Building them up so that they know they can do something. That's valid. That's important. But its not the same as giving them praise. Its not the same as giving them glory. Remember... God has supplied all our need according to His riches and glory, and because of that glory that He gave to us, all glory be to Him! It comes from Him, and then it feeds on itself (HIMSELF) and grows and grows. Like a Holy Ghost wildfire that rages out of control and consumes everything except itself. The glory comes first, then we respond to it. The Way of Grace and the Walk of Faith. We don't need to try get God to move. He already moved. He gave us Jesus. Jesus died and was buried and rose again. What we need is not a move of God, but a revelation of Jesus! A revelation of love!