This time of year, we often hear, give God the glory, or glory to God. What exactly does it mean to give glory to God? For that matter, what is the glory of God? I looked up glory at Dictionary.com and was really surprised to see more than 10 different meanings of glory. That said, none of the definitions gives a meaning to the glory of God. Let’s take a look at what God’s glory is, and then what it means to give glory to God.
The Glory of God
The story of Moses is filled with the glory of God. Moses was one of the few people in the Bible to have spoken to God and come into His physical presence. When He was leading the nation of Israel out of captivity from Egypt into the Promised Land, Moses and God spoke often. Their relationship grew and Moses wanted to know everything there was to know about God.
When the Israelites fled Egypt and passed through the Red Sea, Moses met with God on Mt. Sanai to receive the 10 Commandments. When he was on the mountain, the glory of the Lord covered it.
The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain to the eyes of the children of Israel. Exodus 24:16 & 17
We see that God’s presence was announced by a cloud and a fire. Indeed, the entire time the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, God’s presence was seen on the tabernacle when they stopped and set up the tent.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. When the cloud was lifted up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel would set out in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not lifted up, then they did not set out until the day that it was lifted. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40: 34-38
It seems that physically God’s glory is represented by a cloud and a consuming fire. However, we learn that God’s glory is His goodness. This must be such incredible goodness that we can’t comprehend it as Moses is told by God Himself that he can’t look on His face or he will die. Because Moses wants to know everything possible about God, He asks to see God. God agrees, but protects Moses from death by allowing him to only see the back of Him after He has passed by the crevice in a rock where God tells Moses to stand for his protection. This is such an incredible conversation between God and Moses. We all need to learn to have Moses’ all-encompassing yearning to know everything possible about God.
Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You, and that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too that this nation is Your people.”
And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how will it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we will be distinguished, I and Your people, from all the people who are on the face of the earth?”
The LORD said to Moses, “I will do this thing of which you have spoken, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”
Then Moses said, “I pray, show me Your glory.”
Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live.”
Then the LORD said, “Indeed, there is a place by Me. You must stand on the rock. While My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you will see My back, but My face may not be seen.” Exodus 33: 12-23
Giving God the Glory
Giving glory to God is more than just giving lip service about how special God is. We need to have the heart of Moses and want to deeply desire to know God in all that He is. Basically, we need to make God a part of everything we do in our lives. That is, we make God the source of our admiration and our pride. We talk to others about God as grandparents do about their grandchildren. We all know that a doting grandparent knows her/his grandbaby can do no wrong. That grandbaby is a source of pride and a source of bragging to others about how special that child is. We need the same attitude when we tell others about God. He needs to be our source of pride and we need to brag to others about how special He is.
The obvious way to give God the glory is in praising Him through creativity and the arts. King David shows us how He danced before God as an expression of worship when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem.
When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, David would sacrifice an ox and a fattened steer. David danced before the LORD with all of his might, and he wore a linen ephod. So David and the whole house of Israel escorted the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the horn. II Samuel 6: 13-15
Obviously, music is a great way to express glory to God. During this time of year, who isn’t reminded of Handel’s Messiah and especially the Hallelujah Chorus? How magnificent a way to praise God. However, I’m sure God is just as stirred by a 3-year-old singing with all her might “Jesus loves me”. Again, it comes down to the praise coming from our heart, our soul.
When I’ve travelled through Europe and strolled through many a cathedral, even though the architecture and art within was breath-taking, I always felt the money could have been used in a better way. However, as I am delving into ways to give God glory, I am now beginning to understand why cathedrals and churches have been so ornately decorated. Even though, the church/cathedral is only a building, the designers were expressing their worship through art to their God. If you are an artist, using your gift to glorify God is a wonderful act of worship.
Another definition of glory is resplendent beauty. What if you weren’t gifted with artistic ability, how can you give glory to God through beauty? Our lives can exhibit beauty. The more Christ-like we become, the more beautiful our lives are to God. However, we can’t become resplendent with beauty on our own. We can only accomplish this through the blood of Christ. Accepting His sacrifice for our sins and allowing Him to cover us completely is the only way we can become beautiful beyond words. Giving our lives completely over to Christ is the only way we can offer ourselves as glory to God.
Finally, glory can also mean the state of absolute happiness, gratification and contentment. When we are totally content, we are totally relying on God. When we are anxious and complain, we are not trusting God completely with our lives and the situations we are in. Therefore, a way we can give glory to God is through being absolutely happy. It isn’t impossible, Paul knew how and has given us instructions as to how to be utterly content. He says, …I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know both how to face humble circumstances and how to have abundance. Everywhere and in all things I have learned the secret, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things because of Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4: 11b-13
This Christmas let’s give God the glory for His goodness – goodness that is so unbelievable it is beyond words and our comprehension. Let’s give God the glory for His Son, Jesus who is our Savior who has beaten death for us. Let’s give God the glory for the gift of creativity. Let’s give God the glory for our lives and His place in them. Let’s give God the glory for His plan and that we have the privilege to be a part of it. As you are glorifying God, maybe you will feel like singing out the Hallelujah Chorus.
Photo credit: corbertgauthier.net
