The Joy of Glory

Ezekiel 36:22–27 (click here)
“…It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name…

…And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

…I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:22-23, and 27)

Reflection
I am so thankful that the Lord’s commitment to me is not based on my faithfulness to glorify his name… but his. Our triune God will uphold his holiness before the world. The Father will glorify his Son and the Son will glorify his Father… in and through the Holy Spirit. Our triune God will not fail in his commitment to his own glory!

This is gospel good news!

It is gospel good news because God is committed to do this through you… and through me… through his people. Before a watching world, he will vindicate his holiness. How?

The prophet Ezekiel was shown a coming day when the Lord would put his very Spirit within his people to empower them to walk in his ways… reflect his holiness… live for his glory. That day has dawned through the death and resurrection of Jesus!

The same Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in you to empower you to live a resurrected life (Rom 8:11)! God is at work in you, by his Spirit, transforming and conforming you to look more and more like Christ (Rom 8:29 and 2 Cor 3:18)!

Of course this work is not yet complete… it has only begun, but God promises that the day is coming when he will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). The day that dawned with Christ’s resurrection will soon shine with the full brightness of his return (Rev 1:16)! And on that day, the name of the Lord will be upheld as holy before all creation, and that will happen through you!

Glory of glories! Gospel good news!

God will glorify himself through you! Could our life have any greater purpose? Could there be any greater joy?

No! For there is nothing greater, nothing more joy giving than God… and he is giving himself to us that he may be glorified through us! Maximum glory and maximum joy forever! And we get a foretaste now! His Spirit is at work in you now… today… to make you more like Jesus, shine forth more of his glory, and find more joy in him.

Hear, believe, and celebrate the Gospel good news… TODAY God has put his Spirit in you for the glory of his name and for your joy… forever!

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

Jeremiah 24 (click here)
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. (Jeremiah 24:5–7)

Reflection
God’s people are in exile in the land of Babylon. They are there by the Lord’s own judgment, poured out upon them for their rebellion. The situation looks bleak, and the people have gotten themselves into it. Surely, they’d have to get themselves out.

But grace.

“I will regard as good the exiles from Judah…” not because they are good… but grace. “I will set my eyes on them for good…” not because they deserve it… but grace. “I will bring them back to this land…” not because he should… but grace. “I will build them up…” not because he owes it to them… but grace. “I will plant them…” not because of what they have or have not done… but grace.

“I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD…” this is the heart of grace… that God gives us a new heart!

But grace.

All of us have been like the people of Israel in Babylon… captive to our sin, which is a situation we put ourselves in. Surely, we’d have to get ourselves out. But we cannot accomplish that any more than they could. God must do something. Not because we are good, or deserve it, or because he should, or because he owes it to us, or because of what we have or have not done…

But grace!

It’s because of his grace, his love, his goodness overflowing to us… it is because of who he is that he does what he does for us. Like he rescued Israel from exile, he rescues us from slavery to sin, and he does it in the same way!

God gives us a new heart, one that desires him! Do you have a heart that wants God? If so, that is evidence of his gracious work in your life! He alone can give you a heart that longs for him… he alone can rescue us from sin… he alone gives grace. No matter where you are today, no matter what you feel, no matter what is going on or what is coming your way… remember these words now and always…

But grace!

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

Isaiah 42:1-4 (click here)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Reflection
Do you feel tired? Beat up? Powerless?

Do you feel like a cog in the machine of the world? Like no one notices you, no one hears you, and no one cares? It is easy for us to feel this way in a world that can be so brutal, loud, and unjust.

Isaiah spoke to the people of God in a time when they were overrun by loveless leaders. People of power who cared only for themselves and spoke over or silenced anyone who disagreed. Many were the causalities left in their wake that they merely considered necessary collateral damage.

Could there be a savior for such a world?

BEHOLD… the servant of the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah holds forth several “servant songs” filled with hope for they speak of a savior to hope in! He is not like the self-centered leaders and power hungry politicians who “rule” the world. Oh no… he is empowered by the very spirit of God and it shows in how his power is put on display! He humbly executes justice! He does not need to raise his voice over everyone so that he appears as the most powerful person. No. In fact, he is so gentle with those he loves, it is like he wouldn’t even snuff out a candle wick or break a twig.

He is gentle and faithful. No matter how much it looks like the unjust powers of this world are winning he does not grow faint or discouraged for he knows that he will redeem all of creation and establish justices to the ends of the earth! And he does it as a servant! Not as one who serves himself, but who serves you and me.

Do you feel tired? Beat up? Powerless? Look to our servant savior who is gentle with you and faithful towards you. He doesn’t not grow faint in his faithfulness. Let us not grow faint in our faith.

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