In His Glory

"Greater Love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." - John 15:13


How many of you just read that verse and automatically thought of Easter? Jesus's death on the cross to save us from our sins. I mean after all, He did say this less than twenty-four hours before His crucifixion. Honestly, I've always thought of this verse as relating to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

Until a few weeks ago...

Just like every Tuesday night, I was at a Chi Alpha worship service on my college campus. But that night was different. You see? It was our last worship service of the semester, before finals and before we all went home for a month long break. And as we do at the end of every semester we had a special service just for worship and communion.

At some point during the service we started to sing "O Come All Ye Faithful." At one point during this song, it says, "We'll give You all the glory." As I sang those words to my Savior, I started thinking.

Earlier this year God had been teaching me a lot about His Love (and He still is). He was particularly focusing on what His Love looks like and that His Love for us is what brings Him so much glory. Anytime I would see a cross or a picture of Jesus on the cross, it was like God was telling me, "This. This is Love."

His death on that cross was the greatest display of Love He could ever give - the laying down of His life for me. And since God is Love, His death on that cross was the greatest display of who He is that He could ever give to the world.  The more God revealed that to me, the more I came to see His death on that cross as the moment of His greatest glory. Because that was the moment I could look back on over 2,000 years later and say, "That is when Jesus showed me what Love is. That is when He showed me how much He Loves me."

So as I sang that popular Christmas carol, I was reflecting on what God had taught me earlier this year. But you see, this song talks about looking on Him lying in a manger, not looking at the cross. It even tells the faithful to come to Bethlehem and behold Him. Not to Jerusalem to behold the cross.

As I worshiped and thought about these things, God reminded me of John 15:13. And I understood. I understood why the image of Jesus in a manger is so holy.

When Jesus was in that manger, He was giving up His life. For the first time. He was giving up His life in heaven so that He could show us how to live in God's power and freedom. He was giving up His life so that we could know who God is. He was giving up His life in heaven to be with us on earth for thirty-three years. Just like He would give up His life on earth thirty-years later to pay the price for that relationship.

So, next time you see a picture of baby Jesus in that manger, remember. Remember why that night was so holy. Remember how great His Love is for you. Remember that no matter how dirty and smelly that manger was, Jesus was in the moment of His greatest glory. His greatest glory because it was His greatest Love.

Dear Jesus,
I remember. I remember that today is all about You. If it were not for Your Love, today would not be worth celebrating because You never would have entered our world. Thank You. For everything. I Love You. Have a very happy birthday.
Love,
Me
PS - Thanks for sharing Your presents.

For Who You Are

When you're friends with people, what is it that makes you like them? Or if you say you love them, what is your reason? Do you love them because of the things they do? Do you love them because of the things they like or dislike? Do you love them because of their sense of humor? Or do you love them because of who they are?

Over the last several months, God has been showing me a lot about Himself and the things He can do or be for me. He's shown me that He is the firm foundation I can build on if I choose. And when I chose Him, He remained solid. He's shown me that He can lead me if I choose to follow Him. He's shown me that He wants me to be close to Him. He's shown me that I can trust Him. He's shown me a glimpse of His faithfulness and given me promises that I'm excited to see fulfilled. He's shown me His power time and time again as people come to know Him, step out in what He has called them to, and receive healing. And all these things make Him worthy of our worship - worthy of our Love.

But over the last few weeks, He's shown me something more. He doesn't want to be praised because of what He has done or is doing. He doesn't want to be praised because of what He will do. Of course He wants the glory for those things and He wants to be thanked for them. But most of all, He wants to be praised for who He is. 

Our God is worthy of all praise. If He had never done anything for us, if He chose never to do anything for us again, He would still be worthy of praise. He would still be worthy of glory. And He would still be worthy of Love.

After all, He is the creator of the Universe. He is more powerful than any other power in the world. He is wiser than the wisest person in the world. He is faithful to the end. He is pure and righteous. He is strong and protective. He is forgiving. He is holy (a characteristic we will never be able to comprehend in this life).

And He is Love. He doesn't just Love us. He is Love itself. He pours Himself out for each and every one of us to know and experience in our own way. He is the greatest giver in the world just because He is Love.

He is worthy of praise. Not because of what He has done or will do for us. But because He is God. He is worthy of praise because of who He is, and our praise is the best thing we could ever give Him.

Dear God,

I thank You for being You. I am continually amazed by who You are and how You pour yourself out on me everyday. How You give of Yourself to the people of this world. Thank You for being a God who is worthy of praise and glory and honor and worship. Thank you for being a God who deserves all my Love - all my devotion and adoration. Thank You for being the only God who deserves all of that. I praise You for who You are - even if I don't know everything that means. I praise You still, and I can't wait until You show me more of who You are.

Love,

Me