To God Be The Glory

To God Be The Glory

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36

America we have a problem.  We keep confusing the cultural ways of our existence with the kingdom of God.  It’s hard to know the difference at times because even from our pulpits, we declare the American way instead of the kingdom of God.  Americans are a consumer culture.  That is a harsh reality.  Our economy is based primarily on our spending habits.  When we spend money and buy things, then the leaders of our country say that we are doing well economically.  We almost went into a huge crisis when people started actually saving money after the 2008 stock market crash.  And the savings rate was only up to 8% then!  Normally it hovers at less than 3% because we spend all we get and then some (hence our debt crisis).  But the reality of our economy is that we are always being conditioned to spend more money.  But not on worthwhile things.  We are conditioned to spend money on things to consume.  Clothes, jewelry, electronics, food, you name it, we are always being shown an advertisement to increase our desire to consume.  Not to invest or save or donate it, but to blow it on stuff.  This presents a problem in our prayer lives if we do not become aware of it up front.  Because we are likely bringing into our prayer lives, our desire to consume things.   

When we pray and ask God for something, we may assume that when he gives it to us, it will be for our consumption.  Maybe we are praying for a new job or for a relationship or a house, or anything.  We petition God to give these things to us.  We are going to the creator of the universe and making our requests known.  But who in Scripture ever got something from God to use exclusively on themselves and God found it pleasing?  Not Abraham, Joseph, David, Hannah, Mary, Jesus, Paul, Peter, or anyone I can think of off hand.  Sometimes, God just gave them “stuff” out of His goodness, but those things that they had a deep desire for and prayed over and over about were not for them, but for God’s glory.  And that means they couldn’t do whatever they wanted with it.  They had to use it for eternal purposes.  God gave them an answer to their prayer for His purpose, not theirs.  But that also means that when we pray for something and do not get it, we trust that even that answer is for God’s glory.  Either way God will glorify himself. 

Now for a human being, we would say that someone who only does things for their own glory is egotistical.  Everything is about them and how great they are.  And that would be true of God if God wasn’t the Creator of all things and deserved to be worshipped and adored.  We might accuse God of making everything about Him, but if God created everything, then it really is all about HIm.  There is nothing that cannot glorify God.  No circumstance is without opportunity to glorify Him in some way.  No object on the planet is immune to being used for the glory of God. And nothing you receive from God in prayer is for you alone.  Good, bad or indifferent. Even if you enjoy it, remember that it is for God’s glory and not your consumption.  Don’t confuse the American way with the kingdom of God.  If God affirmatively answers your prayer for something, then be assured that the plan you have for it must be open to being changed. 

If you have been praying for a house, then if God gives it to you, be prepared to listen to God’s plan for it.  Even if that means giving it up.  If you have been praying for a spouse, then be prepared for that relationship to be used for God’s glory.  And that might mean that things get rough before they get better. If you have been praying for a new job, then be prepared to trust that God will bring glory to Himself out of that situation.  This does not always mean that things turn out the way you want them to.  It does mean that God will be glorified.  How much peace you have in the process will depend on how you see the situation.  And it will take work to see and trust that God will bring glory to Himself out of some of these things.  We just have to remember that it is not about us.  It never is.  Don’t take it so personal ( if that’s possible).  God is not punishing you.  God is not mad at you.  God is not just being mean for no reason. God is not feeding your consumption habits.  God is bringing glory to Himself so that people will see Him for who He is in the midst of your situation.  He is worthy.  Abraham had been praying for a son, whom God promised him he wold have by his wife Sarah.  When he finally had the son (at 100 years old) he was then asked to sacrifice him on the altar.  Abraham had to be willing to give up the very thing that he had been praying for and desiring  for so many years in order to accomplish a greater spiritual task.  Centuries later, we are still using this example to demonstrate the type of faith that God is pleased with.  Hannah prayed and prayed for a child and finally she was blessed with Samuel.  But she promised God that she would give him over to God’s service if she was given the child  And she did.  She sent her son away to live with Eli the priest to be used in the temple as a priest of God.  She was willing to give up the very thing that she had been praying for in order to fulfill a higher spiritual purpose.  Can you say the same? Can you give up the thing that you most desire to be used for God’s purposes and not your own?  Whatever plans you have for that job, that money, that man or woman, that child, or that house are subject to change.  Are you open to that? Do you understand the glory of God enough to know that it will happen anyway?  Even if the story does not go according to your plan.  God will get His glory.  And it is not through our consumption of the things we have been praying for.  But their eternal purpose, which we may not always understand or even like.  In the end, the glory belongs to God and God alone.