The Joy of Glory

1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Reflection
How can we make sense of the world?

If we ever pause for long enough to simply breathe and think…then the deepest questions of life will rise from the depths of our soul crying out for answers…

Why is there something rather than nothing? Where did we come from? Why are we here? What is my purpose? What is THE purpose?

How can one even begin to answer such questions?

Scripture declares to us the reality that we CANNOT answer these questions…at least not on our own…for, we were never created to be on our own. Our creator is the only one who can answer these questions because he is the very one who designed the answers… and he has made himself known to us in Jesus Christ, and Jesus is made known to us through God’s Word… Scripture.

It is only through knowing Jesus a revealed in the Bible that we can know TRUTH and make sense of the world, life, others, and meaning. Christ came to give us understanding… that we might know the truth… he is the truth… and it is only through him that we can see all of reality rightly.

How can we make sense of the world?… only through Jesus… only through God’s Word.

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

James 1:9-10
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

Reflection
Are you poor? Are you wealthy? Perhaps you’re in the middle?

What are advantages and disadvantages of your financial situation? They might actually be different than you’d think at first.

No matter our economic situation, finances always tempt us to focus on the things of this world…whether in want or in excess. Temporary riches (or the lack thereof) weigh upon our thoughts as if they are all that matters.

James wants us to lift our gaze from temporary to eternal treasures and judge our current situation in light of our kingdom situation. The poor can boast in their exaltation in Christ! No matter there lack of wealth in this life, they have wealth that will never fade for all eternity. They are rich in the only way that matters and can boast in eternal security!

The rich can boast in their humiliation…anything that shows the folly of trusting in riches. The wealthy believer knows that all earthly wealth is temporary and will eventually all pass away. Their true hope is in Christ. Thus, whenever they encounter a situation of financial loss…they can still boast/glory in Christ for they have not lost any of their true wealth! Such boasting in humiliation reveals to the world where true riches lie…in Jesus.

No matter if you are rich or poor (or anywhere in between), the things you glory in reveal to the world that which you believe to be truly valuable… is it Jesus?

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

John 1:43-51 (click here)
And [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Reflection
In Genesis 28, Jacob dreamed of a ladder that connected heaven and earth upon which angels were ascending and descending.

Jesus picks up that image in John one, but he replaces the ladder with himself!

All who follow Jesus will see heaven and earth connected by Jesus…not in a dream, but in reality! How? When? Where?

The Gospel of John makes the answer plain… the cross.

John 8:28, “…When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he…” This is a reference to the cross. When Jesus is lifted up on the cross, then his followers will know he truly is the Messiah, for there he will be connecting heaven and earth by his own blood.

Upon the cross, Jesus will reconcile us to God…he will be God’s way to us and our way to God…like a ladder connecting heaven and earth! What wondrous glory is this…that a cross meant to bring death would be used to bring me life!

The cross is the very place we see the glory of Jesus! And the cross is the glorious place to which we follow Jesus!

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Following Jesus does not bring glory to oneself according to the world’s standard of glory…quite the opposite! His glory looks like a cross! Following Jesus will take you to a cross, but it will also take you through that cross to resurrection life!

We may “share his sufferings” even “becoming like him in his death,” but it’s so “that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

In Christ’s sufferings we see his glory, and with our sufferings we show his glory to the world so that they may see him as the one who connects heaven and earth! We long for all to see the greatest thing… eternal joy in God through Jesus!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.