Glorify

Part 8 of Personify Faith

Introduction

As our study ends, I hope that you have been able to carve out some time to be present in the daily moments of your life and be more aware of the movement of God in the world. In doing so, my prayer is that you find yourself in a place of awe at the power and majesty of God. In Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “Most of us spend so much time thinking about where we have been or where we are supposed to be going that we have a hard time recognizing where we actually are.” How is where you are uniquely situated today important? Who or what is in your sphere of influence to care for or nurture?  What can you do to “the glory of God” in your present situation?

To glorify, we must by definition, pause from our own needs to recognize the holiness of God. If we can place our own “urgencies” aside, this is a sign of humility. We are not the center of the universe. Once we have relinquished that burden, we can marvel at the One who is. As G.K. Chesteron once wrote, “We are perishing for a lack of wonder, not a lack of wonders.” When we can wonder at the unfathomable God and the majesty of God’s creation, we are overcome by thanksgiving for being known intimately by a God so vast and for being given such an amazing world. Being overcome by gratitude naturally leads us to glorify the maker. We see that God is both set apart in holiness from humanity, but also intimately involved in our lives. The tension held in this paradox makes God even more worthy of praise. In summary, humility leads to wonder which leads to gratitude which leads to worship.

If glorifying God is not part of our usual routine, it is not easy to change the patterns of our lives that we have already set. Over time, our response patterns become firmly entrenched. Sometimes we need a crisis event such as a global pandemic to cause a true evaluation of our life patterns and enable us to break our comfortable ruts. In Shaped by the Word, Robert Mulholland says, “I have come to realize that the primary work of God’s grace in our lives is to liberate us from this destructive bondage to the crust of self in order to shape us into wholeness.” Part of being whole is turning our faces to God in praise and glory. We make it clear that the one true God is the God of our lives, not our worldly idols. This week we will look at how people have glorified God through history and how worship can become part of our daily lives as we reaffirm, continuously, the One who is worthy of praise.

“Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can’t contain Him. Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?”                 

—Francis Chan

Day of Preparation

Opening Prayer

Dear God,

Help us to humble ourselves that we might recognize your greatness. Let us express our gratitude to you in ways that praise you for who you are. Guide us to understand how different people have found ways to glorify you. Amen.

Scriptural Teachings

As we look at scripture, we see that one way that humans like to glorify God is through verse or song. How amazing that our bodies were made in a way that we could create such lovely melodies! The first recorded songs praising God can be found as far back as the book of Exodus. These focused mainly on God’s salvation of the Israelites from Egypt such as the Song of the Sea and the Song of Miriam (Exodus 15). Take a few minutes to read this chapter. What kind of things did Moses and Miriam glorify God for?

The Israelites could point to real, tangible things that God had done in saving them from slavery in Egypt. They could praise God for works evident in their lives. This theme continues into the New Testament in Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), where she praises God first for what God has done in her own life and then for God’s mercy and justice in the world. Gratitude is the first stage of glorification--even small children can learn it. During the Thanksgiving season, we often focus on the lists of blessings God has given us such as family, home, church, etc. Giving glory to God for the tangible things in our lives is just the first step, however. 

The book of Psalms contains many songs that glorify God as well. Some include specific acts that God is praised for such as Psalm 99. However, others take glorification to the next level and focus more on offering praise for who God is and less for what God has done for us. The psalmists praise God as creator, ruler of heavens and earth, the good shepherd, and the rock of our salvation. We see praise emanate because of God’s love or holiness rather than what God has done for us in the past. Psalm 100 is one of my favorite praise psalms because it glorifies God mainly for God’s relationship with us. 

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Revelation also includes songs that glorify God for God’s holiness, like the one the angels sing in 15:4: “Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”  Thus, the Bible provides us many examples of how people glorified God through song. We, too, can use these words to express our own praise and worship. Are there other songs of praise from the Bible that are meaningful to you? How about current songs that glorify God? How do these songs help you to glorify God?

Wisdom from the Past

During the second half of the 19th century, two American Christians with different backgrounds were both inspired by the wonders of the earth to feel the presence of God and then take justice-inspired action in a way they saw faithful to God and to God’s glory. On the west coast, a naturalist named John Muir (1838-1914) fought ardently for preservation of wilderness areas. In his role as the president of the newly formed Sierra Club, he worked with Teddy Roosevelt to establish National Parks including Yosemite. After growing up in a strict, religious home, Muir felt the freedom of the true presence of God as he traveled the mountains and forests of the West. His writings speak to the way nature testifies to the glory of God. Below is a sample of some of his testimonies to how he witnessed God in nature.

“A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.”

“Rocks and waters, etc., are words of God, and so are men. We all flow from one fountain Soul. All are expressions of one Love.”

“Here ends my forever memorable first High Sierra excursion. I have crossed the Range of Light, surely the brightest and best of all the Lord has built. And, rejoicing in its glory, I gladly, gratefully, hopefully pray I may see it again.”

“Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God.”

“Everybody needs beauty...places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.”

Muir was so moved by all he saw that he was compelled to protect these lands for others to experience. He sought justice for creation in its protection and proper uses. Thus, his work as a conservationist was for his fellow man, but to the glory of God. Where have you been that creation caused you to glorify God?

On the other side of the continent, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, the daughter of two freed slaves in Maryland, was also observing the testimony of creation and giving the glory of God. She wrote many poems about her lived experience—things she saw in the natural world and society. Here is an example of how she glorified God in noticing the small details of the world:

Dandelions

Welcome children of the Spring,
   In your garbs of green and gold,
Lifting up your sun-crowned heads
   On the verdant plain and wold.

As a bright and joyous troop
   From the breast of earth ye came
Fair and lovely are your cheeks,
   With sun-kisses all aflame.

In the dusty streets and lanes,
   Where the lowly children play,
There as gentle friends ye smile,
   Making brighter life's highway

Dewdrops and the morning sun,
   Weave your garments fair and bright,
And we welcome you to-day
   As the children of the light.

Children of the earth and sun.
   We are slow to understand
All the richness of the gifts
   Flowing from our Father's hand.

Through her poetry, she captured the wonders of creation, but also the ills of slavery.  Her connection to God prompted her to fight for a different type of justice than Muir: equal rights for both women and persons of color. Her early writings provided later opportunities to address crowds of people and advocate for justice in the world:  “I deem it a privilege to present the Negro, not as a mere dependent asking for Northern sympathy or Southern compassion, but as a member of the body politic who has a claim upon the nation for justice, simple justice, which is the right of every race, upon the government for protection, which is the rightful claim of every citizen, and upon our common Christianity for the best influences which can be exerted for peace on earth and goodwill to man.” In utilizing her gifts and position in the world, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper glorified God in her efforts toward justice for all humans. Muir’s passion for nature had helped him to preserve God’s creation. How might you use your passions and talents to glorify God?

Closing Blessing

With joy, we praise you, gracious God,

for you have created heaven and earth,

made us in your image, and kept covenant with us—

even when we fell into sin.

We give you thanks for Jesus, Christ, our Lord,

who by his glorious resurrection

overcame the power of sin and gave us new life.

Therefore we join our voices

with all the saints and angels and the whole creation

to proclaim the glory of your name.

Day of Action

Opening Prayer

Dear God,

We know that we have talents and passions that we can focus on glorifying you.  Let us recognize that there are many ways that we can worship you. Help us to hand over our time and talents to promote justice in this world to your glory. Amen.

Scriptural Reflection

Begin today by examining the following scripture verses that discuss how we glorify God. Jot down a central thought of each passage.

Psalm 8

Isaiah 44:23

1 Corinthians 10:31

Revelation 4:11

Does each passage focus on glorifying God for what God has done or who God is?

Call to Action

For many of us, when we think about giving glory to God, the image that appears is voices (and maybe even hands) raised in a corporate worship space. While this can be a powerful way to glorify God in unity with other Christians, glorifying God goes beyond praise and worship services. As we saw in the cases of John Muir and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, we can glorify God with the written word and with our actions toward justice for creation and humans. In Adorning the Dark, artist Andrew Peterson writes, “Since we were made to glorify God, worship happens when someone is doing exactly what he or she was made to do.” As Frederick Buechner says, where is the place “where our deep gladness meets the world’s great need”? What were you made to do? 

One poet that lived into her passion was Mary Oliver; her works help us stop, observe, and glorify God. She has been described as “a mystic of the natural world” whose keen observation and insights can help us wonder at the majesty of God’s creation. Her poems point to the gift of being present in the moment. This kind of presence allows us to put our cares aside and focus on the in-breaking of the Divine. Debra Dean Murphy writes, “This is also the gift of wonder, of a posture of receptivity that Christians sometimes speak of as part of our vocation—the calling to live more fully into our humanity as persons bearing the imago dei, to mirror the divine dance of mutual presence, mutual receptivity, mutual love.” Being mirrors of God’s glory to the world is an important way that we can glorify God as well.

Another avenue to glorify God is through helping those in need. Billy Graham once said, “The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service.” Sometimes our lived faith in the care of “the least of these” is the most powerful way we can glorify God. Thus, there are many ways that we can glorify God that stem from our own contexts, gifts, and personalities. Examine the list below for ideas on how you might glorify God this week or follow your own passions and talents.

Write your own song or poem to glorify God for what God has done or who God is

Listen to praise and worship music

Share a talent or gift you have with someone else

Serve someone in your community

Take a walk outside and observe God’s majesty in creation

Create a time capsule that includes your praises of God to be             opened later

Write something that glorifies God each day until Thanksgiving on a slip of paper and then read the slips at Thanksgiving

Contribute to a cause that is near to your heart

Set aside your “urgencies” to spend time in silence with God

Read the Mary Oliver poem below and reflect on how the gift of       presence glorifies God

FALL by Mary Oliver

the black oaks

fling their bronze fruit

into all the pockets of the earth

pock pock

the knock against the thresholds

the roof the sidewalk

fill the eaves

the bottom line

of the old gold song

of the almost finished year

what is spring all that tender

green stuff

compared to this

falling of tiny oak trees

out of the oak trees

then the clouds

gathering thick along the west

then advancing

then closing over

breaking open

the silence

then the rain

dashing its silver seeds

against the house

Closing Blessing

God of power and wonder,

we are awestruck by the glory of your presence.

We rejoice at what we can see;

we marvel at what we cannot see.

You dazzle us with your brightness;

you overshadow us as with a great cloud.

Loving, protecting, challenging, nurturing,

you strengthen and transform us.

May we love and serve you in all that we are and do.

Glory be to you. Amen.

Day of Reflection

Opening Prayer

Dear God,

We thank you for what you have done and praise you for who you are. Help us remember that our purpose here on earth is to glorify you. Use us to reflect your light and love out into the world. Amen.

Reflection

Begin today by writing about your action experience this week. How are you best suited to glorify God?

Modern Perspectives

Sometimes it is hard to glorify God, not because we are not humble, but because we are in a season in our life when it is hard to have gratitude. How do we navigate glorifying God even in painful and difficult seasons? I think we must first return to simple pleasures: a warm cup of tea, a flickering fire, the laughter of children, a radiant sunset, or a favorite meal. We pray the prayers we can, and we wait. In time, we turn again to our passions—the things that fill our souls with joy. Then we marry that passion or giftedness with our faith. As we let our belief seep into our passion, we create new ways to glorify God.

 A good example of this is the life of Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993). From a young age, Thomas was a gifted piano player. He quickly made a name for himself as he performed with vaudeville shows and at private clubs. However, his demanding schedule led to a breakdown at age 21. He returned home to his mother, a church organist, and his father, a Baptist preacher, who encouraged him to give up secular music and return to his spiritual roots. He began to compose religious music, but mainstream churches were not interested in his works—especially the ones that combined syncopated rhythms and sacred texts. 

In 1932, tragedy struck when his wife and child died in childbirth. Out of great despair, he wrote, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord”; a song that he said came to him all at once from God. The song became widely popular and remains so today. He, along with singer Mahalia Jackson, soon made widespread a new form of music known as gospel. Gospel was a marriage between the blues and sacred texts. Dorsey took his giftedness and knowledge of blues music, infused with his faith journey, to glorify God in a new way. Are you in a season of despair where it is hard to glorify God?  What simple gifts can you acknowledge today to put you on the track to gratitude again?

However we choose to glorify God, we must realize we cannot do it if we are going speeding through life or crushed by the demands of this world. We must find ways and times to cast off the urgencies of life and observe deeply. We must reawaken to the presence of God in the world around us through a holy pause. We do not like to be patient or observe but God is just waiting there to be seen. When I was a middle school math teacher, one of my favorite application lessons to teach was on the Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio. I would show the students nautilus shells, pinecones, and pineapples that all contained this same ratio (also known as the “growing” ratio). 

As we would look at the images, someone would always remark that the pattern was there the whole time, but they had never seen it. They just did not know the possibilities of what could be there. I loved teaching students that there was order in the chaos around them; it was my way of pointing them to a higher power, a creator so intimate with all of creation that even the most common objects exhibited order and beauty.  Have you taken time lately to observe the glory in God’s creation? Are there patterns in the chaos?

Immersing oneself in the created world can restore our gratitude when the material things of the world bring us down. Nathan Foster describes a poignant worship experience:

The chorus always begins with that impatient bird that can no longer contain its enthusiasm and ignites the morning chirping. Little by little the whole choir of birds joins in, welcoming a new day in harmonious procession, declaring with all the beauty they can muster with their tiny breath the world is bathed in the joy and love of God. All around me, God’s great book of creation was being preached.

So, place your feet on the earth and lift your eyes to the heavens. Inhale the smell of season and hear the rustling of the leaves in the wind. Listen to the laughter of a loved one. Hold someone so closely you can feel the beating of life within them or feel your own heart beating life through your body. Look into a mirror and search for the imago dei, the image of God. Then look for it in those you meet. Savor the food you eat. As it says in Psalm 34:8 (NLT), “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” To God be the glory. Amen.

Closing Blessing

Is He Worthy?

By Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive

Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
(We do)

Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is!
He is!

Sources

 Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor

Shaped by the Word: The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation by M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak for Us Today by Bernhard W. Anderson

Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson

The Making of an Ordinary Saint by Nathan Foster

Poetry Foundation

https://poets.org/poem/dandelions

https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/god_john_muir_mark_stoll.aspx

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/frances-ellen-watkins-harper

https://www.christiancentury.org/article/critical-essay/why-we-need-mary-oliver-s-poems

https://insteading.com/blog/fibonacci-sequence-in-nature/

https://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/thomas_dorsey.html