Readings for today: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18
Soli Deo Gloria. A fancy (Latin) way of saying, “To the glory of God alone.” If I were to ever get a tattoo, this would be it. I’d have it written across my heart. It is the North Star of the Christian life. It is our highest priority. Our greatest passion. Our deepest love. It is the principle that guides every other principle by which we live and move and have our being. Everything we think. Everything we feel. Everything we say. Everything we do. All of it directed towards the glory of God. All of it designed to bring honor to God. All of it offered freely and humbly in praise to God.
Soli Deo Gloria. This is immediately what I thought when I read these words from 2 Samuel 8:11-12, “These (articles of silver, gold, and bronze) also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalie, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehoboam, king of Zobah.” Think about how easy it would have been for David to believe his own hype. Think about how tempting it would have been for David to claim all the glory from all these victories for himself. I can imagine him in his tent looking over the map at the number of kings and tribes he had conquered and feeling pretty good about himself. How easy it would have been for him to simply reach out and claim it all. But David loved God. David knew he would still be keeping sheep if it weren’t for God. David knew he would have died long ago at the hands of Goliath if it hadn’t been for God. David knew his life up to this point was a testimony to the favor of God. So when the spoils of war start to flood into his camp, he dedicates the treasure to the Lord. This would have been a powerful sign to all who followed David - and probably to those who warred against David - as to who deserves the credit and the glory and the honor for all that has taken place. It’s not David. It’s God.
Soli Deo Gloria. It’s the phrase that comes to mind every time I reflect on all God has done for me in my life. The many different ministries I get to be involved in. As a pastor at PEPC, I’ve had a front row seat to hundreds of professions of faith over the last 12+ years. I’ve watched our church family make a huge impact in our community through our work with DC Oakes and Legend High School or the launch of Douglas County Christian Counseling or our partnerships with the Parker Task Force or the Chamber of Commerce at Parker Days. As a professor at Denver Seminary, I get to impact the next generation of church leaders and it’s one of the great joys of my life to follow them in their careers as they go forth to share the gospel in all sorts of settings and contexts. As a leader in our denomination, I get to work with struggling churches and pastors and do all I can to encourage and help them along the way. As a board member of the Petros Network, I get to train church planters and celebrate huge milestones like our 6,000th church plant and our 1,000,000th convert! It’s always tempting to claim some of the credit for myself. Always tempting to keep a bit of the glory for myself. But then I remember how far God has brought me. From the ash heap of my ministry career in Sun Prairie, WI with my marriage and family on the rocks to where I am today and all I can do is fall to my knees in gratitude. I don’t deserve any of this. I achieved none of this on my own. God gets all the glory for where I find myself in life.
Soli Deo Gloria. No matter where you find yourself in your spiritual journey, let me encourage you to make this your chief end. Your highest aim. Surrender all that you are and all that you have to Christ. Place all your resources of time and talent and treasure at His disposal. Give Him permission to use you as He sees fit. Then hold on for the ride! It will be the greatest, most exciting, most exhilarating adventure of your life! Trust me when I say God never disappoints!
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalms 20, 53, 60, 75