Compelling Love

As believers, it is our birthright, and our honor and privilege, to walk with God and live for His glory.  David expressed this truth in Psalm 29:

Psalm 29 (NKJV)
¹ Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
² Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
¹¹ The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Many outstanding people have learned to call upon God for strength and guidance, and to give Him all the glory for their success.  An example from baseball is Roy Knight in the 1986 World Series.  When the New York Mets were one pitch away from losing to the Boston Red Sox, they somehow pulled out the game.  Then in the seventh inning of the seventh game, Ray Knight of the Mets hit a line drive over the centerfield fence sparking a rally that led the team to victory.  Later when asked what he was thinking when he stepped up to the plate, he replied, “I was feeling physically exhausted.  I prayed that God would give me strength to do my very best, and He did!  I give all the glory to Him.”  This is an example of giving God all the glory as the psalmist prayed in Psalm 115:1,  “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.”

Jesus commands believers in Matthew 5 to let our light shine so that our Father in heaven will receive the glory.

Matthew 5 (NKJV)
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Then in Matthew 6,  he teaches us to pray that God’s kingdom, power, and glory will be on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6 (NKJV)
⁹ In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
¹³ And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

We give God glory by coming to Jesus, taking rest in Him, partnering with Him, learning from Him, and letting His concerns be our own.

Matthew 11 (NKJV)
²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Partnering with Jesus, reaching for God’s best in our lives, we will seek to do all for the glory of God as declared in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

The Knowing-Jesus.com website comments on this verse:

(https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/1-corinthians-10-31)
“Whether immersed in the drudgery of daily chores or quietly watching the television set, we should do all to the glory of God. Whatever we do during the day or whatever activities we engage in during the night-time hours, should be carried out for His praise and glory. If we find ourselves in difficulties or when we are engaged in some leisure time, it should always be glorifying to the Lord.

“May we  take to heart this simple instruction from Paul.. that whether we eat, or drink.. or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God.”

Paul reveals the source of the believer’s inspiration in 2 Corinthians 4:

⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

He created us for His pleasure.  As believers, we have the joy, honor and privilege of living for His glory.

Revelation 4:11 (KJV)
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Colossians 3 (NKJV)
²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/, 2/2/2020

Photo credits:
(1) https://heartofashepherd.com/2015/10/29/psalm-291-2-a-gift-only-you-can-give/ *
(2) https://thebiblewallpapers.com/2017/08/20/matthew-51416/
(3) https://www.blessingsandjoy.com/weekly-bible-verses/matthew-11-28-30/ *
(4) https://kzlam36.wordpress.com/category/in-christ-2/ *

* Includes excellent teaching.