Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Years ago, I was in a seminary class and we had a preaching class. It was a fun but also horrible experience trying to give a sermon in front of my peers. I'll never forget my mentor. His name was Scott. I gave the sermon. I was the last one to give the sermon of the day, and Scott said, "The rest of you just go ahead and leave, and I'll talk to Rick about his sermon."
Everybody left, and Scott came up to me, and he looked me in the eye, and he said something that I will never forget. He said, "Rick, when you gave your sermon today, you just didn't seem broken before the text. There was too much of self and not enough of God." I've never forgotten that, and that was decades ago.
What Are You Aiming At?
This passage today is absolutely thick with God. It's Romans chapter 11 and verse 36, which says, "For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen."
As you think about your life, what are you aiming at? Think about your family, work—do you aim for the glory of God? Whatever it might be, I want to just very quickly, as we look at this beautiful passage, give you three reasons to glorify God.
Three Reasons to Glorify God
1. Everything Comes from God
It says right there in the passage: "Everything comes from Him." Do you ever notice in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 1, the very first verse of the Bible, it says "In the beginning, God.” Do you know what's on display in the Bible? God. Do you know Who's at the center of His universe? God.
God is not only at the center of the universe—it's right for Him to glorify Himself because He's God. He's not an egomaniac. If you were to do that, if I were to do that, that would be ego. That would be pride, the very thing that God hates. God understands that He is the center of the universe, and He wants you and me to honor Him. He says right there, everything comes from God.
2. Everything Exists by His Power
Secondly, He says in the verse, "and exists by His power." Everything exists. Think about that. Everything exists because of God. Hebrews says He upholds all things by the word of His power. Think about that. Scientists know that there's an invisible molecule. They can't get down to the smallest molecule, and once they do, there's something invisible that holds everything together. That's God. Everything exists because of His power.
3. Everything is Intended for His Glory
Finally, why does everything exist because of His power? Why did God create everything? Why did He create you? Why did He create your family? Why does He give you a job? Why do you eat and drink and do all these things in your life? Finally, He says, "and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen."
Everything is to glorify God. To glorify God. To praise God. To make much of God. To enjoy God. To delight in God. That's all ways that you and I glorify God.
Created for His Glory
Years ago, I was on a missions trip. We used basketball as a platform to share Jesus Christ. It was kind of funny because we'd have to sing at halftime and none of us could sing. I'll never forget after the game we went over to this missionary's house. His name was Tyne. He was an older gentleman and godly wise man, and several of us were on the mission trip. We were all in our 20s and we were excited about God and excited about God using our lives.
I asked him this question. I said, "Tyne, I'm on this mission trip because I love the Lord and I just want to do what God wants me to do. I'm not really sure which direction to go, and what's the purpose for my life?"
I'll never forget he shared this verse. Isaiah chapter 43 and verse 7. He looked at me and said, "Rick, Isaiah 43:7 says that you've been created for His glory. Whatever you do in your life, I don't know if you're an engineer, you're an athlete, you're an artist, you're a singer, you're a wife, a mother, a husband, a father, whatever it is, aim for the glory of God. That's why you're made."
That's the preoccupation in heaven. There's angels, there's elders, everybody in heaven is praising the Lord Jesus Christ. As you think about this, I want to encourage you: aim your life to enjoy and glorify this great God and His Son Jesus Christ, who loved you and died for you. He's saved us and given us a purpose. We've been made on purpose, with a purpose, and that purpose is to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's do that with our lives.
