Monday, February 26, 2024

             Can you believe that Easter is less than five weeks away?  That means Good Friday, Maundy Thursday and Palm Sunday are even closer than Easter.  And it seems like we just celebrated the birth of Jesus at Christmas!  We’ll take some time in the next few weeks to begin preparing for the amazing events of Holy Week. These incredible events will mean even more to us if we take time to prepare and anticipate their meaning in our lives today. We will likely experience God’s blessings, goodness and graciousness even more powerfully if we take time to seek Him.  In John 12:23, Jesus said, as He was entering the last week of His life, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”  Jesus was speaking of His looming death and coming cross.  He would be glorified while the justice of God was satisfied.  He would be lifted up on the cross and draw all people to Him (see John 12:32).  The finest hour for redemption and salvation was about to arrive.    
            The word “glorified” is an important one.  Jesus, the Son of God, lived and came to bring glory to the Father.  Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus the Son carried out faithfully and fully the will of the Father.  He glorified His Father by the way He did the Father’s work and business.  Today, our purpose is to bring glory to our Lord Jesus.  We bring Him glory through worship, obedience, love, devotion and surrender.  We want all praise and honor to go to Him—today and always.  Just as the Son glorified the Father, we are to bring glory to the Son.  We are His people and living for His glory is our mission.
            We bring glory to God when we trust Him with every avenue and pathway of life.  We want to surrender all things to Him for His glory and keeping.  We glorify the Almighty when we are dedicated to obeying Him and walking with Him.  We may not always be as intentional about such a practice as we should.  In these days leading to Holy Week, take time to be intentional and even thoughtful about bringing glory to God.  Be decisive about it.  Plan and consciously live your day for His glory.  Bringing glory to God is often not one single big action or deed.  Rather, we are often called to glorify God in those small ways and in those small things that occupy so much of our days and time.  The small things that occupy seconds or minutes or moments are often the greater ways to glorify God than waiting and wondering when something big might come our way.  Indeed, the Bible tells us that we have to be faithful with the small things in order to enjoy greater things and greater opportunities (Luke 16:10). 
            Step one on the way to Holy Week is being attentive to the occasions we have to glorify God.  Look for what God has already given to you.  Glorify Him as a parent, a teacher, a grandparent, someone’s neighbor, a worker, a teacher or a volunteer.  As you bring glory to God, you may have occasions to speak about your relationship with Christ and invite others to know Him too.  Have a great Monday!  Remember you can share our worship any time at YouTube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.  Look for an occasion to bring glory to God today!