Amidst the craziness of simply surviving the day—bills, clients, home repairs, returning calls, and a schedule that seems to never stop—it’s so easy to lose sight of my higher purpose. But when I forget why I’m on this earth, I lose the joy and satisfaction I was created to experience in my relationship with Christ. He created me for so much more than bogging and slogging through this world simply working for the next vacation or paycheck. I want to seize the day for HIS glory, don’t you?
My friend, if you are like me, then we all need to be periodically reminded of why we are here!
Throughout scripture, hundreds of verses explain our glorious purpose. A few of my favorites are:
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.“ 1 Corinthians 10:31
“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
I remember the first time I learned that my greatest purpose was living for God’s glory. I thought, “WHAT? That’s it? Living for the glory of a God I can’t even see???” My ignorance of God was clearly manifested by this question! But God was so patient with me and revealed that He is the greatest being we will ever know—so why would I want to live for anyone LESS?
I also asked, “What about the Great Commission of Jesus and living in obedience to God’s Word?” While these are important missions, they are part of a much larger and glorious objective. Jesus already conquered our greatest enemy—eternal death. We ARE on HIS winning team. So when we disciple, evangelize, and obey while focusing on our highest objective—glorifying Him in all that we do—the mission is carried out from our heart instead of only dry and dead outward actions. Glorifying God in all we do also reveals our desperate need for Him. Otherwise, we begin to think we are able to win souls and disciple without His help.
To glorify God in all we do is a heart attitude that gives Him credit for our every action; indeed, even the breath we are taking right now.
Without Christ, we are nothing. Without Him, we can do nothing. This is one reason the Beatitudes study has been so critical in my growth! I am learning that I cannot even live in obedience without the power of His Spirit! God’s Word gives us God’s wisdom behind making His glory our primary objective:
- WE cannot save anyone because we are all sinners who have fallen SHORT of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Only JESUS can save anyone from their death sentence of sin. Jesus said, “I am THE way, THE truth and THE life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6) When we share the amazing grace of our own salvation story—we are glorifying God!
- When we DON’T glorify God, we become fools and treasonous traitors of darkness. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did NOT glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:20-22) When we live in thankfulness to God—we glorify Him and are filled with HIS wisdom!
- When we live for God’s glory, we are able to experience a transformation and liberty like nothing we’ve ever known. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) When we live in obedience, we are living in LIBERTY and our life glorifies God!
- Someday, every person in heaven and earth will bow and give glory to Jesus; and to glorify God now is to get in on it early! “[A]t the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) When we make God the LORD of our life now—we are in on the early prize of glorifying Him for eternity!
There are so many ways that glorifying God makes our life richer!
When we know that living for God’s glory is our primary purpose, it then places everything else in perspective. Every affliction—no matter how tough—is another opportunity to watch Him sort it out and give HIM glory.
In fact, the better we get to know Him, the more we want to see His glory. For this reason, Moses, who had already seen so many great miracles, prayed and asked God, “Please, show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) When our life is filled with moments watching God do the impossible, we long to see more of His glorious works. We can’t get enough. We just want to be part of HIS show because no one does life like HE does. There is no one we know like God. When we are born again and begin to experience His presence, we never want to be without Him.
When I meditate on the following verses, God gives me an overwhelming sense of joy because of the great privilege of living for His glory:
“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the GLORY of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:8
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the GLORY of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
“Jesus said to her [Martha], ‘Did I not tell you that if you BELIEVED you would SEE the GLORY of God?’” [right before He raised Lazarus from the dead.] John 11:40
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great GLORY.” Matthew 24:30
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the GLORY and PRAISE of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
My friend, no matter what circumstances you are facing today, God has a plan for you. If you are born again, HE is ALIVE in you and you have HIS power and wisdom to live gloriously for Him. He is already in the depths of your greatest problem—He knows the way through it. He guided and protected the children of Israel by parting the vast Red Sea and protected them with a pillar of His glory as their rear guard. He will also take you through to the other side. Through it all, don’t miss the opportunity to give Him the glory for all He is doing AND all that is going RIGHT in your life!
