It reminds me of this one statement that Kevin Conner made, which literally burned into my memory and heart that moment, when he spoke at one of the Leadership Lectures series:
" We receive the blessings of God, but we DO NOT touch the glory. ALL glory belongs to God. ALL glory is HIS. Never, NEVER, touch the glory."
It was a stern warning and sober reminder.. that we are to give ALL glory and ANY glory back to Him. None of it belongs to me!! Besides, really, who else is deserving of the glory in our lives but Him? When someone marvels at how good you are at something or how good they think you are (God only knows really, how "good" we all are anyway), there are usually 2 tempting reactions:
1) to start "absorbing" the praise and glory OR , in the typical Asian context,
2) to be self depreciating and 'decline' it.
Instead of just thanking them politely and rightly attributing what God has done for you ie. whether it's in putting together a great team, or just telling them how God has been so good to you through it all.. we may just stand there smiling, politely, but with our heads in cloud nine thinking , "yeah, what a good job i did and pulled off!"
On the other extreme, instead of declining the compliment and rejecting it, it's a great time to attribute and deflect that glory and praise back to Him! HE deserves it even when we don't think we do!
That God may get ALL the glory deserving of Him!! At least in my own life. ALL.
It was a stern warning and sober reminder.. that we are to give ALL glory and ANY glory back to Him. None of it belongs to me!! Besides, really, who else is deserving of the glory in our lives but Him? When someone marvels at how good you are at something or how good they think you are (God only knows really, how "good" we all are anyway), there are usually 2 tempting reactions:
1) to start "absorbing" the praise and glory OR , in the typical Asian context,
2) to be self depreciating and 'decline' it.
Instead of just thanking them politely and rightly attributing what God has done for you ie. whether it's in putting together a great team, or just telling them how God has been so good to you through it all.. we may just stand there smiling, politely, but with our heads in cloud nine thinking , "yeah, what a good job i did and pulled off!"
On the other extreme, instead of declining the compliment and rejecting it, it's a great time to attribute and deflect that glory and praise back to Him! HE deserves it even when we don't think we do!
That God may get ALL the glory deserving of Him!! At least in my own life. ALL.
"Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness"
Psalm 115:1
NOT TO US
the cross before me the world behind
no turning back
raise the banner high
it's not for me
it's all for YOU
let the heavens shake and split the sky
let the people clap their hands and cry
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
CHORUS:
not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory
not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory
our hearts unfold before YOUR throne
the only place for those who know
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
send YOUR holy fire on this offering
let our worship burn for the world to see
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
for YOU
CHORUS
the earth is shaking
the mountains shouting
it's all for YOU
the waves are crashing
the sun is raging
it's all for YOU
the universe is spinning and singing
it's all for YOU
YOUR children dancing
dancing
dancing
dancing
it's all for YOU
it's all for YOU
my all for YOU
my all for YOU
the cross before me the world behind
no turning back
raise the banner high
it's not for me
it's all for YOU
let the heavens shake and split the sky
let the people clap their hands and cry
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
CHORUS:
not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory
not to us
but to YOUR name be the glory
our hearts unfold before YOUR throne
the only place for those who know
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
send YOUR holy fire on this offering
let our worship burn for the world to see
it's not for us
it's all for YOU
for YOU
CHORUS
the earth is shaking
the mountains shouting
it's all for YOU
the waves are crashing
the sun is raging
it's all for YOU
the universe is spinning and singing
it's all for YOU
YOUR children dancing
dancing
dancing
dancing
it's all for YOU
it's all for YOU
my all for YOU
my all for YOU
II Corinthians 3, 4-6
ReplyDeleteSuch is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.