What Does It Mean To Glorify God?

In response to the statement "we're here to glorify God" I have had it said to me that God is not vain. That is true -- and such a response comes from a misunderstanding of what it means to glorify God.

Let's clear it up a bit.

My own definition is "to make God look so awesome and so good like he really is". And the reason for it? Because he's the only one who deserves it!

He's the one who made the universe. He's the one who made people. He's the one who reached down into humanity to reveal himself to use through his creation, through his prophets, and ultimately through the person of Jesus Christ. He's the one who waits patiently for people to come to him. He's the one who changes hearts and minds and transforms lives. He's the one who brings peace and joy. And he's the only one that did and does these things!

How do we do that?

We can praise and worship him. Not because of some "religious" requirement. Not because that's what we're expected to do. Not because of anything other than a thankful and joyful heart for all that God has done for us! Our prayers, our songs, our messages -- they all mean nothing if our hearts are not right. We are to love God with all our hearts, and when we do, we can't help but lift up his name!

We can do good works. Jesus told us when he said to let our light shine before men -- so that people see them and praise our father in heaven. You don't do good works just to meet people's needs. YOu don't do good works just because it makes you feel good. You definitely don't do good works to make yourself look good. Nor do you do them with a bad attitude. No, you don't good works because you're a sign, a billboard, a pointer. You're a big fat blinking arrow that points people to God. Think about it, what good is filling someone's belly or fixing their house going to do if they remain spiritually dead? Worthless. When you go out there in the name of Jesus to do good things, people see it, know why you are doing it -- and that changes lives for all of eternity. That's freaking awesome.

That takes care of Sunday and our outreach times, right? Ding ding ding, wrong. Now what I'm about to write, I suck at too at times. I don't do it all the time either. I don't think anyone does. That's because we're a stiff necked sinful people. It happens. Pay attention to it and it keeps you humble before a holy God.

It's more.

It's our whole lives. Our entire lives should be an act of praise, worship, and pointing people to the awesome God that made us and loves us. Paul wrote that in everything we do, we should do for the glory of God. Really, everything? Drinking orange juice? Yup. John Piper even wrote about that. Check it out here:

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/how-to-drink-orange-juice-to-the-glory-of-god

Can we do that completely? Yes, if we're totally sold out to Jesus. I don't think any man is totally sold out to Jesus. Chuck Smith often has said something about wondering how God would use a man that is totally, 100%, committed to him. I wonder that myself.

Really, I can knowingly glorify God, even if not perfectly, when I help people in need. When I give. When I teach. When I encourage. When I share the Word. When I stand up for the truth. When I study the Word. When I sing (well, in my way) praises. When I impart spiritual knowledge to my children. Those fall in the box of some sort of "typical Christian life".

But I can also glorify God when I do the dishes because my wife hates doing them. When I eat my lunch with a thankful heart. When I go to the store to pick something up for someone else. When I take out the trash as a duty and stop to check for stuff other people could use in there. When I play with my kids and soak in the joy that brings. When I go to work and work hard to support my family and have money to give. Those are day to day things that can adorn the gospel and glorify God when done with a right heart and motivation.

In those examples from my own life, know that I've screwed up every single one of those by having the wrong motivation and a bad attitude. Praise God for the conviction the Holy Spirit brings when that happens!

Know also that I don't think about glorifying God in some of the things that I do. I don't think about it when I play basketball and even less when I play Halo. I'm thankful for those things. I enjoy them. I like the mentally untaxing down time. Am I glorifying God in them? Maybe, but I'd chalk those up more to being yet another one of a billion who are not 100% sold out. I just don't know sometimes.

Even so, we learn and we grow. We are convicted and we change. Getting cleaned up is a lifelong process that doesn't end this side of eternity. As I have heard said, "imperfect action is better than no action." And right action to glorify God with all of our lives starts with an understanding of what that means and why he deserves it.

Grace and Peace