TUESDAY - 24TH OCTOBER, 2023
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD: HOW LIVING PURPOSE GLORIFIES GOD - What Is Purpose Series 001
Read Psalm 19
Psalms 19:1, KJV
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork".
Have you been frustrated by a vehicle that refuses to work before? You'd hit the spanner on the bonnet in release of your emotion. If I may ask, "why do men get angry over what suddenly refuses to work?" Simply, they're being disappointed. Their expectation is not working out. They have known that thing for its definite purpose. Not living up to it any longer or at that time is defying purpose which they know shouldn't be since it was originally created to do or fulfill what it now refuses to do. On that ground, man suddenly grows impatient and you would see all kind of emotions in his face. This same thing happens to Balaam when his beast of burden refuses to journey any longer. He couldn't help it but hit her. Balaam believes it is that that'll restore senses as it were back to this animal. Balaam further gets frustrated when with all he did to restore the beast to alignment, nothing just works. However, we get to know through the confession of that ass that she has never for once being in the habit of acting that way but is rather the ass Balaam has riden all the days of his life unto that day (Num.22:21-33). At the time that ass refuses to move further, it stops fulfilling the very purpose for which it was created. It was created to bear burdens and travel. However, it defied that. That was what Balaam responded to. While the reason for the defiance is understandable and undebatable in that context, yet it is understood that when a thing compromises the very reason for its creation, it immediately stops fulfilling purpose and stops giving glory to who it should be given.
Today's Bible passage says, "the heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork". Summarily, it means both the heavens and the firmament fulfill purpose and so send back glory to God. God is praised for their uncompromising commitment to living out purpose. Anything that has stopped living the purpose for which it was created immediately stops giving glory to God. Glory means delighting or sending pleasure to One's maker. So, when that place says, "the heavens declare God's glory", it means the mightiness, creativity and nobleness of God is seen in the heavens and the firmament. As such, men give glory to God. Looking at the expanse firmament without pillars or any support, they can't just but acknowledge that there is a God somewhere who must have done that. No architectural design surpasses that. On another level, the heavens or the firmament keeps fulfilling its purpose. Because it does, it keeps delighting God as the created that has never been found wanting or in a compromising state before. God is therefore personally delighted that the programming He installed at the creation of the heaven and the earth still runs on the hub and by the template He had set in motion at the beginning. As such, He's delighted nothing is compromised, missing or broken. Things are running according to plans - their mandates and that is satisfactory to God's heart. If things should run contrary when it has been planned, that would mean deliberate disobedience of God's creature and that wouldn't delight God. The Bible says in Psalms 104:19 that, "He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down." This reveals God as the God of order - One who has given roles to all of creation which they must play and abide by at their definite times. It is this consistent constant abiding that keeps delighting God. When you abide by what you're created for, installed for or put in place or sent here for, the fragrance of such pleasing life would ascend to God and He'll simply be glorified - delighted, acknowledged, exalted, honoured and worshipped. None of God's creation runs contrary. They fulfill their reason for their ordainment. The heavens that declares God's glory and the firmament that proves being God's creation or craftsmanship testifies to that. So are all of creation and so should man be.
Jesus while speaking says, "I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the work which Thou gave me to do" (John 17:4). Imagine Jesus saying He also has glorified God on the earth. How do you glorify God on the earth other than not living as you like but as He wills you live. All of us know that till the moment Jesus utters this statement, He had lived in perfect alignment to the very will of God. At the time of the utterance, He nears being poured as offering for the sin of the human race. So, He makes that declaration that till hitherto, I have lived the life that pleases you and I have done the work you gave me to do. Indeed, Jesus did. He once told His disciples. Did you not say, "it's four months to the harvest. Lift up your eyes and see that the field is ripe. My meat is to do the will of He that sent me and to finish His work" (John 4:34-35). That "meat" is living the reason of His existence on earth - which was why He took on flesh. It's for this reason the son of man manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8).
So, let me ask, have you glorified God till now? Have you pleased God till now? Has your life being the ordained one at all and then the ordained one every step of the way? Have you discovered purpose? I'm asking because that's the only thing that can make you glorify God on the earth. If you ever send spikenard perfume to heaven, it'll be because the life they said you should live here is what you're living. When the ass of Balaam refuses to journey and was going astray, Balaam was not honoured. The ass therefore brought no glory to him. Rather, the ass receives his displeasure in beatings. He sought to align it back to the path. However, the firmament are said to have God's remark of praise and acknowledgement continually because they keep delighting God. As they fulfill the reasons for their installation up there, men sees that great sight, sighs and acknowledge the Creator of heaven and earth. Only God knows how much accolades, honours, worship, glory He has received from those who will occasionally take note and wonder at God's created expanse sky. Brethren, you can come to glory. Not until you die. When a man comes to glory, he lives the ordained, purpose regulated life and He sends glory to God in heaven. All God's creature are meant to glorify Him. All of creation was created for that purpose and that included even Jesus the son of God. Any deviation is doing otherwise. I pray for you that you won't live to glorify yourself or the devil but God and God only. May you enter into the company of the heavens, the firmament and Jesus who lived to glorify God. May your life has meaning henceforth. May it stop being erratic - lacking focus and concentration. May all diffused energy therefore be concentrated at your finding and settling in your ordained or pre-ordained life.
PRAYER: Lord, rest me in purpose. The ark found rest in Ararat, let me find in You and my purpose.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jeremiah 44:24-47:7; 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; Proverbs 26:6-8
Powered by Morning Wings Ministries. Share with others in English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Chinese. Enquire or counsel through +234 80 77 63 85 50 or +234 8137 04 68 12 II morningwingministry@gmail.com & Blog @ http://morningwingsministry.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment