God Gets the Glory

Each of my children played some kind of school sport. One of the main temptations I wanted them to resist was playing for their own glory or finding their value in the praises of people. In order to reinforce their resistance, I would have them make eye contact with me before a game. They would point to their heart and then point to heaven. This was our way of saying to each other, “God gets the glory, win or lose.” We knew that if they won or lost, it was expected that our behavior and attitude gave glory to God rather than shaming the name of Christ with our actions.

While I can’t attest that every one of us executed this perfectly, overall I believe our family exhibited Christian values in our actions. Yet there came a time when I needed to give God the glory beyond the sports arena. I recently bought and sold a home in order to downsize. The day of the closing, I found myself and my family almost homeless. The deal could’ve fallen through due to one paper the buyer’s loan company hadn’t turned in. Not only would this have had an adverse effect on selling my house, but I could’ve lost the new home as well.

I decided beforehand in prayer that my actions and attitudes would result in God’s glory, whether everything turned out perfectly or I found myself sleeping on a friend’s couch for a few days. As we continued to pack and move things to our truck, I felt an incredible peace in the midst of great stress. God honored my desire, and everything came out as expected. There was something about pre-deciding God’s glory that made all the difference.

Prayer

Dear Lord, You are worthy of the glory whether I win or lose in this lifetime. Help me to always be ready to give You the glory at all times. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In His Service,

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