First Chronicles 16:28-29a
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.
Jesus’ Desire to Glorify the Father
Jesus said that if someone wants to seek glory for themselves, they are doing it only for personal gain, but whoever seeks to glorify the Father is a person of truth (John 7:18). The Father seeks to be glorified (John 8:50), and He will not share this glory with anyone else (Isaiah 42:8) and will not yield it to another (Isaiah 48:11). Why should He? He alone is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. That was very much a part of Jesus’ motivation during His earthly ministry (John 12:28), and that should be our motivation, too.
Our Desire to Glorify God
Paul clearly understood that it is our goal to glorify God, and if we are bearing the fruit of righteousness, we can glorify God (Phil 1:9-11). Even the creation itself testifies of His glory (Psalm 19:1). So why shouldn’t those who were created in His image do the same thing? That is a godly, righteous motivation for all of us to have. He is described as the God of glory anyway (Eph 1:17). Is your life’s motivation wrapped up in the pursuit of the glory of God? I believe it should be since even what we eat, drink, or anything else we do should be for His glory (1 Cor 10:31). Part of our desire to glorify God should be to obey the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) and to help in bringing many sons and daughters to God (2 Cor 6:18), as Christ made it possible for them to do, and thus He was glorified (Heb 2:10).
God’s Desire to Glorify Himself
We have already seen that Jesus desired to glorify God the Father and that we are commanded to live lives that glorify God, but God Himself seeks to be glorified. Every living being should rightfully be ascribing or assigning to God the glory He deserves (1 Chro 16:28-29). We have eyewitnesses like the apostle John, who saw the glory of God when he beheld the Son of God (John 1:14); Ezekiel, who saw the glory of God (Ezek 43:2). Peter, James, and John all saw the Shekinah glory of Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2), and Stephen, when he was dying a martyr’s death after being stoned, saw God’s glory just before he died (Acts 7:55). Since we know God’s glory is real, why shouldn’t our greatest motivation in life be to do what He seeks to have done, which is to be glorified?
A Closing Prayer
Great Creator God, You created all things for Your glory, and that includes me. So please help me to seek and find ways in which I can glorify You in all I do, say, and think so that you are ascribed all the glory, honor, and praise that You are so worthy of. In Jesus’ holy name I pray.
Amen
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