A Life That Glorifies GodExemplo

GLORIFY GOD WITH OUR LIFE

INTRODUCTION

All Christians certainly want to have a life that truly glorifies God, for this is the purpose of a person redeemed by the blood of Christ, which is to live as God's children and glorify Him. The Lord Jesus Himself said it when He ministered in this world; "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. " (Matthew 5:16). There is the Lord’s portion that lifts us from the mire of sin and we are placed to a righteous and holy life, it is called grace. 

Yet there is also our portion to work out our salvation that God gives by bearing the responsibility to glorify Him who has redeemed and justified us.

Our work after being redeemed by the blood of Christ is to preserve the quality of our life according to the principles of God's Word and reflecting God's love for the world. What are the steps to having a life that always glorifies God? We will discuss them in these few principles:

SHARING

1. Christ is the Door for Our Life to Glorify God

Paul explains that only if the light of Christ's glory shines upon a person, does he have an understanding of the glory of God. It can happen when the person turns to God and accept the grace of Christ. It is then that God takes away the veil from his heart so that his spiritual vision is not blocked anymore (2 Corinthians 3:16).

At that time he will experience the grace of the Lord Jesus and no longer live under the curse of sin, that is the meaning of freedom. Freedom includes not only the unveiled veil; but also the freedom from sin, death, and lawsuits. At the time of liberty, the person will shine the glory of God. Not just in the face, but in life and characters. This glory will not fade but will continue to transform his life to be more and more Christlike.

To be more like Jesus is not entirely the result of human effort. It is the growth produced by the work and power of the Holy Spirit. We must work out our salvation in response to God's work in our lives. However, we realize that the process of transformation toward Christlikeness is not always smooth and easy, because it is an arena of war against sin and evil. In the process of growing to walk away from sin and to walk toward Christ, we need these two things: Depending on the power of the Holy Spirit and submitting ourselves in His purification process.

2. The Key to Glorify God is Obedience (Matthew 21:1-6)

The story of two disciples in this passage may give you a quick glimpse. When Jesus told them to take a donkey, they did so obediently. They followed the instructions and remain humble. The work itself seemed trivial and unpopular and was usually done by a slave. But the two disciples did not protest. Who would have suspected that such obedience would lead to the triumphal entry of Jesus in which He was cheered and glorified by the people? Moreover, they were honored and used by God to fulfill the prophecy of Jesus in Zechariah 9: 9 and Psalm 118: 26.

So, the key to glorifying God is obedience in doing His commands. The benchmark is not how great our actions are or how big the impact is. Even simple acts, as long as they are done with the overflowing love of God that fills our hearts, are meaningful. Yes, glorifying God is not meant to get human’s praise, but to please His heart.

3. Glorify God with Thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Paul says that we can glorify God’s Name through how we live and carry out our activities. Even the simplest things, like eating and drinking, can also glorify God's name. How can the way we eat and drink make God's name known? That is, if we receive God's blessings with thanksgiving, and enjoy them in moderation, not excessively or greedy. In the same way in our daily activities, we can glorify God by acknowledging and involving Him in our lives. Living a life that glorifies God is not as complicated as we think. Glorifying God is not just by singing in church or be God's messenger to a distant place. When the simple things we do daily show that we depend on God, the Name of our Lord can be known, and we glorify God.

CLOSING

We are often stuck with many religious rules on the topic of glorifying God. We are faced with things like what we can and should not do. However, the good news is that God chose us and saved us not for such things, that is not because we fear punishment, but rather God wants us to do them because we love Him. Honoring God is a simple matter. As simple as we love Him. If we understand His great love, then talking about glorifying God with our lives is a wonderful thing.