Tag: glory

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Prayers that glorify God

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from John 17.

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you'” (John 17:1).

We know that Jesus went off by himself to pray. In John’s gospel we get to listen in. At the heart of Jesus’s prayer is the desire to glorify his father.

How often do we pray that God would be glorified?

I pray for healing, protection, relationships, faith, and provision. And I ought to pray for all those things. But my prayers are for my personal health and well-being. Sometimes it is for others. Do I pray for God to be glorified?

Not intentionally. To be honest my prayers sound selfish compared to Jesus’s. But God is glorified when he responds to my prayers. He’s the source of healing, provision, faith, and life. Whenever I receive those things, he looks good. That is, he’s glorified.

How would the shape of my prayers change if my motivation was God’s glory? The slices of praise and thanks would be the larger pieces of my prayer pie chart. The bottom line would not be my comfort and happiness, but good publicity for God, that more would know, trust, and glorify him.

What if prayer were a highlighter for all that God is and does? I wouldn’t be able to ignore his power, kindness, grace, justice, and mercy. He would look better and better every time I prayed.

He would be glorified!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Roadtrip

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Carolina Rincon on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Exodus 40.

Where do you feel closest to God? It could be a church building. But would that be an empty sanctuary, or one filled with people?

I’ve experienced both. Sometimes it was an early Sunday morning before anyone else arrived for worship. Just me and God. Other times, God was there in a room full of people gathered for worship.

Some feel close to God on a clear, starry night. Or on a path through the woods where there’s little to hear other than their own footsteps.

I’ve felt close to the Creator holding a newborn in my arms. Or sitting next to someone taking their last few breaths on earth.

When Moses set up the tabernacle, “the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34). God was as close as he could get, day and night, living in a tent set up in the center of all the other tents of the nation of Israel.

Can you imagine God living in an RV? He’d be hooked up for the night just like everyone else. All those sacrifices being burnt on the altar? It’s the aroma of meat on his grill wafting through the campground. The lampstands are his camping string lights. You might run into him at the camp store or in the laundry room.

I love picturing God on the road with his people.