Glorify God

 Glorify God                                                                 08-25-17  

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 

Short and sweet this week.

I found out yesterday that there is going to be a lot shouting going on this weekend in K-Town. Maybe you will hear about it,maybe not. Rest assured, should it come to pass, the back part of this verse will be played out on BOTH sides.That being said,I came across this verse yesterday and it stirred something that a coworker had said to me this week past. 

My friend made this comment about the most profound way that we as God's children can glorify Him. Now,the teacher-inquirer-anal side of me wanted to know just what that word glorify meant.I mean really......could I not just take at face value what he said and ponder on it?.................Apparently not! So,I got the ol' trusty Bible Dictionary out to find out it's(glorify) meaning.

Glorify- To praise and worship God. To ennoble,elevate,revere,reverence,venerate,pay homage to,adore,give thanks to.......hmmmm........gettin' the drift?

There have been LIBRARIES written on this subject. How do we worship God? What can we do to glorify Him? Seven steps to pleasing God with worship and praise. Feelin'me here? But,it seems to me that my friend said it best and touched on a profound truth.And herein lieth the lesson.

Let me see if I can do the simplicity some justice.

Get alone someplace. Find somewhere away from the distractions. Find a spot where we are unencumbered by watchful eyes and critical spirits.(Their eyes,our spirits) A place where no one can see our "spirituality"or lack thereof. No great music. No beautiful choirs.A place where God can loosen the grip that stronghold has on us.What stronghold? That stronghold of the desire to be noticed and seen by others. Preaching to me now.  Just us and God. When we find that place,which by the way may require a little bit of a search,just look heavenward with a humble and contrite heart and say "Thank You." That simple confession,spoken from an honest heart,outside of any influence,is the greatest act of worship a human being can offer God Almighty. That hit home with me.

Look at that verse once more please.

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV) ¹⁷  The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

We are always on the search for wisdom. We all desire to be wise.Hopefully not in our own eyes,but in the eyes of God. Well, it seems to me,this is the jump off point.

You see,it is OUR wise words,"Thank You" heard in the quiet places by God that have weight. It is our honest and sincere confession of our need of Him,IN QUIET, that moves Him on our behalf. It is the quiet declaration from a pure heart that not only is He the God of all creation,BUT He is OUR God that He searches for.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV) ²³  Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
²⁴  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

"....................that he UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME,THAT I AM THE LORD.............FOR IN THESE THINGS I DELIGHT................."

Brothers and sisters, there's a whole lotta shoutin' goin on these days. Some of it's good,some not so good,some pure evil. We have to drown it ALL out,get quiet before the Lord, and give Him and ONLY Him the glory.

Psalm 86:9-10 (ESV) ⁹  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
¹⁰  For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.


God Bless