An Obsession With His Glory

An obsession with the glory of God is the true knowledge of God. (anonymous missionary quote)

In the midst of the hecticness of life, there has been a question that continues to relentlessly poke at me. Today, I finally slowed down, stopped and acknowledged the question at hand. The question has been, "What is glory?" However, what amazed me was not the question, but where it came from. As I became still and asked God to sit down with me to discuss it, I realized that it was not me asking, but more specifically it was God whispering and asking me the question, "Mariya, What is MY glory?"

We use the word glory immeasurable times, but what does it mean to me.....? What does God intend it to mean? Like many words in the Bible, we see them to mean what we think or hope them to be. We give no deep spiritual thought to God's specifically used words, therefore, robbing such words of their power. We approach commonly used words in the Bible from our own worldviews and perspectives. I earnestly desire to know what God intends us to understand glory to be. More specifically, His glory.

I have been on fire for God and ignited to play a role in His redemptive plan. I have pushed forward with boldness, passion, focus and determination. Yet, this crucial question of "What is my glory?" reminds me that I must understand the why before the what. Understanding before strategy. I am brought back to a moment that occurred a few months ago. I was desperately asking God, "What do you want me to do?" During church service one day, I felt Him say to me, "Silly girl, you are asking the wrong question. Don't worry about the "what," that is my business. You must understand the "why," and that is simply My glory."

We must understand the why- the fuel, before we can comprehend the what - the mission. The question of Why also allows us to understand and know the Who. Who HE is and Why we serve Him, before we can take on the What- the mission. Does that make sense?

Who - God and who HE is

Why - His Glory

What - His redemptive plan - the Mission

But what is HIS glory? To understand and grasp this question is critical because it is the foundation of my missional life. It is what holds me accountable in my walk as a Christ soldier. I must constantly measure my service and my motivations with the question, "Is this glorifying God?" If not, I must reevaluate and take it up with Him.

The Hebrew word for "glory" is from the same root word for "heavy/weighty". Glory refers to the sheer, mind-blowing, weightiness of God's presence.

The Bible tells us that it is through Christ that we really see what God is like. So through Jesus we see God’s glory in the flesh (John 1:14). This is no surprise because in John 17:5 we read that Jesus shared in the glory of God since before the world was made.

Ezekiel 10:4 helps us to glimpse and understand God’s glory: “Then the Lord’s glory rose from above the winged creatures and moved toward the temple’s threshold. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory.” The word translated here as “glory” is kabod in Hebrew, being loaded with power, reputation, or honor. God’s glory is God’s weightiness in wonderful qualities such as might, beauty, goodness, justice, and honor. His glory is so powerful that man could not bear even looking at Moses’s face that was radiating with His glory.

God shares His glory with us. When we receive His gifts and blessings with gratitude and humility, when we use them to enhance His honor and His Kingdom, when we acknowledge Him as the source of all goodness, then we are glorifying Him.  Ruth Ward Heflin defines the glory as “the revelation of the presence of God. It is the manifestation of His presence. He is glory. He is everywhere, but glory is the manifestation of that reality … When glory comes down, it’s a bit of Heaven’s atmosphere coming down to us, a taste of His manifest presence.”

What does it mean then for us to glorify God? We cannot add to His glory, for He is already perfectly and infinitely glorious. It means that nothing delights us more than to feel His pleasure as we live to the praise of His glory. It also means that we declare His glory among the nations, inviting others to join us in our love affair with His glorious perfection. Glorifying God must consume and define every aspect of our life, spilling over to all people who encounter us. His light, power and glory radiate through us, making us the walking, living, breathing testimony and proof of Him. As His glory shines in us and through us through the manner in which we live and "be," we give the world a glimpse of Him. We give the world a taste of Jesus. We are children of light and that light is His glory within us, shining with power.

God is reduced to a means to some other end when it is about our own self-fulfillment - Glory of oneself. The results are disastrous for worship, for discipleship, and for witness. My mission must not become a consumer product rather than adoration I offer to God. Discipleship must not become a self-help program that leaves our spiritually hungry life untouched. Witness becomes an invitation to sample a product rather than an invitation to bow down to the King of Kings.

The glory of God is my supreme passion. This passion for His glory is my goal and it defines the manner in which I pursue it. Our collective passion as a Body of Christ is to see Him receive the glory that is due from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. We must not be content unless His glory is proclaimed and adored. The task is not about us, and it's not even ultimately about the nations. The focus is on Him.

I fall very far short of my own counsel. Yet, as I learn, grow and strengthen in faith, I ask myself such questions in order to hold myself accountable. I expect God to hold me accountable. It is only through His grace that I can live for His glory. Apart from it, I can do nothing.

I plead with you to seek His grace to make the glory of God your supreme passion. I read this today: God’s glory is solid and substantial. It is not mere reputation. It is not dependent on anyone or anything else. God’s glory reflects His essential nature.

Truly, my obsession with the glory of God is my true knowledge of God. It is simply, all about His glory.