Glorify

I am in quite a contemplative mood today. I feel like all I have done lately is research alternative flu remedies and quite frankly, all the hype is driving me crazy. I get either sarcastic or philosophical when I feel like people are blindly following the masses. Like a bunch of sheep without a shepherd! The Bible tells us that the right road is narrow and that most people will follow the wide road that leads to destruction -- because it is easy, well traveled and smooth. That is a good rule of thumb... in this world, if it is easy and most people do it - you may want to ask yourself if it is the right choice. We were not created for ease....we were created to glorify God!

Anyway, I'm going to try to spare you the sarcasm, because I know it is not attractive and I know it doesn't glorify my Savior, who was rarely sarcastic. There are a few exceptions however, like the accounts in Mark 6-8 when Jesus first feeds 5,000 men with the little loaves and fishes. You have all heard that story, of the little boy who shared his lunch. However, I think that just maybe Jesus was actually trying to make the greater point to his disciples! Then, Jesus goes on just one chapter over and feeds 4,000 men....and THEN...what do you know, his disciples leave this miracle, get into a boat and actually have the nerve to discuss that they have no bread!!

^{Mark 8: 16 "}They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?"

I can see in my mind's eye, Jesus and this boat full of teen age boys. Boys, thinking about food, as most boys do. Maybe I am reading too much into the account, but if it were me, this is the point that I would be taking a really deep breath and counting to ten, so as not to smack someone "upside the head" as we say where I am from! Of course, this is Jesus, and He had perfect patience, so he did not smack anyone upside the head and he likely did not have to count to ten....though, the account does sound like was getting a little bit exasperated.

"Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand?"

Do you get it yet? This is the question He is asking the disciples and the answer was an emphatic "No!" They did not get it! They proved throughout the rest of the gospels that it took Jesus' arrest, beating, crucifixion, Resurrection, AND the coming of the Holy Spirit before they really got it! It took Peter denying his Lord and Savior three times and Thomas insisting that he stuff his fingers into the nail scarred hands before they truly understood. But, you know what - when they got it, they got it! They turned from scared, selfish, argumentative boys - into courageous, bold, Spirit-filled men who gave their lives in defense of the One that they knew as their Friend, Savior, and ultimately their Redeemer!

Do we realize that He is asking every one of us the same question today? "Do you not yet see or understand?"

Yet, in our world today, understanding and commitment are rare. I am speaking to those who claim to know Christ personally, myself included. If you do not know Him, you have no obligation and I'm sure no desire to obey Him. I wouldn't if I didn't know Him.

However, I do know Him. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that He is there, He is real, and He is coming again! I know that when He returns the second time it will not be as a humble, loving servant who enters the world quietly and without fanfare in a stable. It will not be as it was over 2,000 years ago when He came and established His Kingdom of Light in the hearts of His servants.

Next time He comes, it will be with all the fanfare that the Jews expected from their Messiah.

Matthew 24:30, "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory."

I am certainly no expert in end times theology and plenty of people far smarter than me have debated the issue of end times for hundreds of years. I have no desire to "teach" you any doctrine, and besides I wouldn't know the answer if I wanted to. I don't know what will happen in the last days and I don't know when those days will occur. And here's a little secret for you -- Neither does anyone else!! We can read the Scriptures and we can interpret them literally or symbolically or any other which way we want to and the truth remains the same - Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." If anyone tells you they know the day and the hour of the return of Christ -- run and run fast!! The Bible speaks of people like that! No one knows!!

What I do know is this....He is returning again, and when He does every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Him as Lord. I also know that there is a lost and dying world out there who needs to hear this. A world who has no idea that a day of judgment is coming. There is a God who is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and one day He will judge His creation. There will be only one question on that day -- and despite what you have been told, there is only ONE answer!

The blood of Jesus has covered the sin of the redeemed. Thanks to that ultimate sacrifice, I will not answer for my individual sins, which are many. The question I will answer on that day is whether or not I accepted into the very depths of my soul the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. Me, a sinner, who deserves nothing but hell. Have I accepted what Jesus did for me? If I truly have, then as CS Lewis puts it, death will simply be the beginning of the real story. The beginning of true life!

The problem is that what I see around me is a lackadaisical attitude. This is rampant both within and without the church. The definition of lackadaisical is: "without interest, vigor, or determination; listless; lethargic." I am very afraid that this is a good description of the Americanized church's spiritual state. Lethargic....kind of like you feel when you have the flu (swine or otherwise) -- listless, asleep. Is the "church" spiritually asleep? I think that sadly, in many ways it is.

There are so many "movements" that you couldn't possibly keep track of them all. The "emergent" church, the "seeker friendly" church, the "universal" church, Oprah's brand of "spirituality", complete and total legalism that turns everyone away from God....on and on and on it goes. It is nauseating, quite frankly. I know I said I would spare you the sarcasm, but seriously?? How is the average person supposed to find their "answers" in the midst of all of that mess?

I believe with all of my heart that God placed the Truth within us.

Romans, chapter 1 tells us the plain and simple truth...."For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

As a follower of Jesus Christ, all the missions and goals in my life can be summed up in one thing. The first question in the Westminster Confession of Faith Catechism is this, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is simple and it sums up my mission. "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." All of my kids can quote this and when they get into a situation where they have not represented Jesus Christ very well or when they begin to behave as if they believe that the chief end of their own life is to make themselves happy, we will stop and ask the question....."What is the chief end of _____?" (fill in their name) They will usually roll their eyes first and then answer, "_________'s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Our conversation usually goes on something like this...."Did you just bring glory to God with your actions?" "Did you just behave as an ambassador of the Most High King?" Even the very youngest are capable of making this simple statement their mission. They are capable of understanding that they did or did not bring glory to their Savior.

If you are a believer please take a minute and reflect on whether or not your life brings glory to the One who died for you. If you are not a believer, take a moment to ask yourself why not - what are you waiting on? Friend, He is coming again -- make today the day of your salvation!!

I am created to glorify God in all that I do.

So are you.