“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory,”Psalm 115:1a
What a privilege: to reject the desire to gain glory for ourselves and to give it instead to you, Lord Jesus–to be the vehicle to carry honor to you, to be the sign post pointing to you.
You are the Source of all that we have: all the abilities we possess, all the insight, wisdom, creativity and energy we have—every bit of it comes from you, belongs to you, is to be used for you.
However, as human beings, it is so easy to live in the illusion that what we do comes from our own abilities and drive, that what we possess is the result of our own efforts.
The truth is that without you we can do nothing of any significance. When we act without you, we are producing wood, hay and stubble, we are standing on unstable ground, deep mud, on quicksand. Our choices apart from you are uninformed, weak, self-centered and destructive
But in you, Lord Jesus, we have guidance, wisdom and power to do what is right. This is “because of your love and faithfulness” (Ps. 115:1b). You do not abandon your children in spite of our rebellion and unbelief; instead, your Spirit works unceasingly in us
to teach and direct,
break and reshape,
transform and empower.
It is a seeming paradox but a great truth that the more we embrace our weakness and depend on you, the more we are empowered.
I praise you for your great love, Lord Jesus, as you pour out on our rebel souls your grace, goodness and guidance, patiently correcting, disciplining and leading.
You persist as we resist:
when you call us to the light, we naturally turn to darkness;
when you beckon us to good, we turn to selfishness;
when you point us to obedience, we turn to rebellion.
But in your firm faithfulness,
you consistently
convict,
convince,
and bring to contrition.
You are a marvel in your majestic, mighty patience. You are the One to exalt by submission to your will and obedience to your Word. May we do so today.
Picture: some yielded 100 fold; may we be in such an elegant manner
