Who gets the glory?

Does God stay out of the headlines because He is not doing anything, or is it because we so easily take the credit for His work or give it to natural causes?

Personal case in point: my pulse is abnormal because of a condition called a-fib caused by the enlargement of both upper chambers of by heart. It beats in an irregular pattern, something like this:  . . .  ....  . .   . . .  ...  .  .. . and trying to count it is a challenge. With medication, it has slowed down, but the irregular pattern puts it anywhere between 55 and 130, depending on what part of that pattern is used in the count.

However, I’ve found three things that help. One is singing worship songs in church. The second is listening to classical music, and the third is a metronome. The regular beat of this computer app works the best.

When my hubby told his doctor (a dear friend of both of us) about the metronome, he gave a scientific explanation simplified to this: the brain has the ability to tell the heart to match a beat. Then he added: “We are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) giving the glory to our Creator.

The Old Testament prophets faced a similar challenge of who gets the glory as they confronted false prophets who led God’s people into erroneous understanding of God and of what it means to follow Him. These false prophets did not honor God as they should whereas the true prophets of God directed the people according to the will of God. Not only that, they humbly proclaimed that their power came from the Spirit of the Lord. 

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths. Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be black over them; the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God. But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. (Micah 3:5–8)

I wonder what would happen if today’s people of God were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were declaring the Word of the Lord to the nations. Billy Graham comes to mind. He had the voice and attitude of a true prophet who could tell the world our transgression and sin, and also declare the love of God and His plan of redemption for all people. What would the world be like if every Christian was that bold and as effective?

Tozer says that the early Christians were like that and, “None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.” (Acts 5:13) He says that today “there is no longer anything terrible or mysterious about us . . .  we now have little that cannot be accounted for by psychology and statistics.”

Instead, we need what Tozer calls the dignity of the Holy Spirit, that awe-inspiring mystery which comes upon men and churches when they are full of the power of God. It is so sad that most of God’s people are satisfied with much less, perhaps because of a fear of what God might call us to do if we let Him be Lord of our lives.

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Lord Jesus, as a young Christian, I had no idea about the power of the Holy Spirit. I was content to do most things by myself, not realizing that Your power makes earth-shattering changes. Over the years, I suppose I had varying excuses, most of them related to ignorance. Now I think of what my Swedish grandmother used to say, “Too old too soon, too late smart.” I suppose that could now use age as an excuse, but don’t let me do that. If there is anything You desire of me, fill me with Your Spirit that I might do it in that awe-inspiring mystery of Your great power.

Truth linking to truth

Sunday’s sermon connected two truths in one passage. It was not one of those obvious links that says, ‘if you do this then this will happen.’ However, the pastor saw a connection between praying for leaders and the desire of God that all people are saved (1 Timothy 2:1-4). He said if we pray for those in authority over us, we will see people respond to the gospel.

I’d not heard that before, but something about it rang true. It also influenced me to look for connections that might be less obvious and see if they also ring true. For instance, today I read these verses . . .  

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:13–17)

If the truths are related, then asking in Jesus’ name is linked to obedience. That is, if I am disobeying God, then I cannot expect Him to answer my prayers. Praying in Jesus’ name will become a mere formula, an insincere chant that has no value. That rings true.

If the truths are related, then obedience is linked to the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is, I cannot keep the commandments of God without His power. If I rely on my own desires, strengths, and resources, then my obedience will be mere ritual that smacks of self-righteousness and does nothing to glorify God. That also rings true.

Two more truths could also be related; the obedience of Jesus in that He will ‘do it’ to glorify the Father, and my obedience based on ‘if you love me.’ Jesus obeys the Father because He loves Him. Obedience is the expression of love. That is why God does not turn His disciples into robots. I am living in total freedom. The difference is obedience without coercion, or a sense of duty or guilt, or a way of making a good impression. It is always an expression of love. That also rings true.

Chambers says that when my relationship with God is of love, then I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone else in competition with Him, very likely myself. Today’s devotional is encouraging because Chambers says that even the smallest obedience is a ‘pinhole’ through which I have seen God, and through that pinhole His redemptive light will shine through me to bless others. This happens only because of that mysterious yet wondrous link between the deeds done in obedience and the power of the Holy Spirit who makes obedience possible.

Love God and do what He says because I love Him, and in that, He will shine through my life to impact the lives of others. This is so simple and rings true. It is complicated only by the forces of sin and evil that do not want it to happen.

So that I may not sin . . .

Sometimes life sucks. How do I remain a contented child of God when the bottom falls out? How do I treat others well when ignored or despised or misunderstood? What do I do when everyone around me acts ignorantly or selfishly? Can I stand strong when I feel totally weak?

The Bible and my experience tell me that all of this is beyond me apart from Christ. In my humanness, I fall short. I will complain, be harsh and miserable toward others, sin and fall apart under pressure. Without Him, I have no spiritual power.

However, with Jesus I can do all things. He is my Rock, my solid place to stand. He gives me peace in storms, grace in sticky situations, and Holy Spirit power to obey God even in dire circumstances.

For a long time I thought that He can do this in me and does for me because He is fully divine, the Son of God. This morning I realize that this is not the main reason. Rather, Jesus saves and gives me that all I need in dire circumstances because He is fully human, the Son of man, and because He suffered.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Hebrews 5:8–9)

While Jesus was on earth, He suffered as humanity suffers. He was hungry, thirsty, tired, misunderstood, ridiculed, rejected, scorned, lied to, physically beaten, abandoned, lonely, you name it. 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus knows what human life is like. He experienced all of it, yet in all that He went through, He did not sin. In this, He knows how and what I suffer. He knows every temptation that I face and every misery that falls on me because He has been there and battled that.

But He didn’t sin — and He lives in me. This is why I can obey God in all my trials — not because I have the power, but because Jesus obeyed God in all trials — and He lives in me. He has the power and because He learned obedience through suffering, He gives that power to me. I can obey, even in tough times. He is the source of my salvation. He saves me from the power of sin as I do what He asks.

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Oh Jesus, the trials are not particularly difficult today, except that I am very tired and things seem bigger with fatigue. However, this truth and the reality of Your grace in trials are not for just this day. Times will come (as they have in the past) when the challenges of life will totally overwhelm me. During those toughest tests, and even now in less difficult days, do not let me forget that no matter how rocky my roads, You have walked all of them before me. You know exactly how to meet every twist and turn with grace and spiritual power. You know how to obey Your heavenly Father, no matter what.

I’m glad that you sympathize with my weaknesses, yet You did not go through such suffering so You might offer empathy or pity. You did it so that You could offer me Yourself and the ability to also obey my heavenly Father, no matter what.