“Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
– Isaiah 43:5-7
In this passage, God is talking to His chosen people Israel, and to His servant Jacob. He states that He created them for His glory. Today, I want to point out the fact that the sole purpose for our existence is the glory of God. In case you think that this concept of existing for the glory of God is limited to the Old Testament, you need to consider what Paul proclaims in 1st Corinthians.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
–1st Corinthians 10:31
The Apostle Paul, inspired by God, said that we are to do everything for the glory of the Lord. Literally, everything we do should be for the glory of God. Ponder that thought for a moment, you do not exist for yourself, but rather for the glory and pleasure of Almighty God. Why would we ever want to live for our own glory? We all will fade away and die, and our glory is nonexistent. If we are honest, how we would even define our own glory changes by the hour if not by the minute. However, through the grace of God by the blood of Jesus we get to enjoy Him forever and ever. His eternal standard is never changing, and He has told us how to bring glory to Him in the Bible. Christians have been given the awesome privilege of a relationship with God for the purpose of bringing Him glory. Let me repeat that, to bring glory to God is our privilege, we get to do this, it is our joy. Literally, everything exists for the glory of God. Some might say, well what about evil? Yes, evil is used in the end for the glory of God. If you want proof of that, look no further than the Cross.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is indisputably the evilest act ever. And yet, God sovereignly ordained it. Acts 2:23 says, “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” God had a definite plan for, and foreknowledge of the crucifixion. In His omnipotence (power) He orchestrated it. Now, God did not cause the men like Pilate and the Roman soldiers to sin and drive the nails through the hands of Christ. Rather, He used their sin for the glory of His name and the redemption of His people. We have the highest calling of all, to live for the glory of God, it is to be your passion and your joy. Jonathan Edwards said this:
“God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.”
Complete, utter devotion to God, for the glory of His name, is what we are called to focus our lives upon. Not begrudgingly, but because God’s glory is our greatest joy, for who would we rather glorify than the Almighty One who saved us from eternal destruction in hell? He is the great One, the Holy One, and the glorious One whom we have the privilege of serving.
”Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” – Psalm 99:3
Excellent reminder for all of us!