All To The Glory Of God
By Lois J. Stucky
During a tumultuous time in the history of Israel, the prophet Isaiah encouraged the Jewish people by calling to their remembrance that they were created for God’s glory (Isa. 43:7). God had spoken to the Israelites earlier through Moses of their high and holy calling: "Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth" (Deut. 7:6). Through the Jewish nation, the Savior for all mankind would come and all nations of the world would be blessed.
A measure of God’s glory was seen among the Israelites when they came out of Egypt and had God’s personal leadership through the pillar of fire by night, and the pillar of cloud by day. When they had constructed the tabernacle, God’s holy and glorious presence had descended and filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34). They had seen the glow on Moses’ face. Later, when Solomon built the glorious, golden temple in Jerusalem, God’s holy presence came down and filled this house of God. How favored were the Jewish people among the peoples of the earth to have the presence and favor and high calling of God and the blessed covenants He made with them, even writing for them His Commandments with His finger on tablets of stone.
And Christian friend, how exceedingly blessed are we to live in the days of the new covenant, which Christ brought to us through His death and resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father! The Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians and to us: "If the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to [fade] away: how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory" (2 Cor. 3:7-9).
In the epistle to the Colossians, we read from the Apostle Paul of the glory of the new covenant that came to us in Christ. It was a mystery that had been hidden before but was now revealed: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Christ is our righteousness and much more. "Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11). We are instructed that "whether therefore [we] eat, or drink, or whatsoever [we]do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).
In these days of multiple distractions and the nagging worries or fears many carry, it is easy to lose sight of so lofty a calling, let alone live it out in daily life. God’s Word as always has the instructions we need: "…be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18); "...Walk in the Spirit..." (Gal. 5:16); "…walk by faith..." (2 Cor. 5:7). Indeed, God’s "divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Pet. 1:3). Search His Word! Claim His promises! Strive to keep before you the heavenly vision of the true purpose of life, to glorify God.
Reading of the devoted life of Mary Slessor we thrill to see how God used her to glorify Him by opening whole tribes in pagan darkness to the light of the Gospel. We can be sure that pressing the battle with her were an army of unseen prayer helpers. I encourage readers to re-read the "Throne Room" closing of Dave Butts’ article (page 3), to settle in more clearly the vision of how we can glorify God and advance His kingdom through prayer. Prayer is a privilege within the reach of us all, and yet is beyond the outreach of all we could ask or think. Herald of His Coming welcomes every reader as a prayer partner as we seek to glorify God through the ministry of the printed word. Thank you for praying.