God’s glory is more important than us

What if I told you that life wasn’t meant to revolve around you? Or if I said that you were created for something infinitely greater than your own personal self-satisfaction?

Well guess what? Life doesn’t spin around you and you do exist for something mightier than you. That something is a someone. And that someone is God. He is the One around whom life orbits. This is the stunning message of the Bible.

Back in December 2013 I remember feeling overwhelmed by a powerful passage in Matt Chandler’s book ‘Explicit Gospel’ (2012) wherein he argues convincingly that, “From beginning to end, the Scriptures reveal that the foremost desire of God’s heart is not our salvation but rather the glory of His own name.

God’s glory is what drives the universe; it is why everything exists.” Chandler proceeds to list sixteen passages from Scripture in which the Lord reveals the reason He does everything, namely, for the glory of His own name.

• God didn’t destroy Israel in the desert for the glory of His name (Ezekiel 20:5-9).
• God saves men for the glory of His name (Psalm 106:8).
• God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for the glory of His name (Exodus 14:4, 8).
• God instituted the monarchy for the glory of His name (1 Samuel 12:19-23).
• God inspired the building of the Temple for the glory of His name (1 Kings 8).
• God strengthened Israel for the glory of His name (2 Samuel 7:23).
• God didn’t destroy Israel for the glory of His name (Isaiah 48:9-11).
• God decided to destroy the wicked Israelites for the glory of His name (Malachi 2:2).
• God sent Jesus to earth for the glory of His name (John 7:18; 17:4).
• God planned the crucifixion for the glory of His name (John 12:27-28).
• God saves us for the glory of His name (Ephesians 1:3-6).
• God calls Christians to live for the glory of His name (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Peter 4:11).
• God will send Jesus to return for the glory of His name (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
• God will consummate all things for the glory of His name (Revelation 21:23).

Do you realize something that all the passages above have got in common?

In every case God works for “the glory of His name”. That is the real purpose of your life and existence. Everything is ultimately subject to the grand purpose of glorifying God’s great name. That’s right- everything! Even salvation and condemnation! God will be glorified eternally independently of what lot befalls the sons of men.

So God calls you to rejoice in Him, in His will and in His glory because you were created by Him and for Him.

So go on! Glorify the God of the Gospel, the God who created and redeemed you for His own good pleasure. Everything revolves around Him because all is “from Him and through Him and to Him” (Romans 11:36).