Today's Journey
Agents of God’s Glory
Jul.14,2014
http://getmorestrength.org
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
A friend of mine is an agent for professional athletes. His
whole career is based on representing his clients to teams in hopes of
securing them the best possible salary and contract package. For each of
his clients, he has a portfolio that highlights their
statistics—height, weight, career highlights, awards, you name it. At a
moment’s notice, he can give you a clear picture of the athlete’s
accomplishments and abilities.
Every once in a while, my agent friend and I will talk about some of
the athletes he represents. He has a couple of big names on his list,
and I’ve found myself thinking, “Wow, you’re an agent for him? No way!
That would be amazing.” But when I think about it, you and I have a far
greater privilege and calling. We are agents of God—hired by the price
He paid on the cross—to spread the “stats” of His glory everywhere we
go.
Of course we know that God is totally self-sufficient and that His
worth isn’t based on what other people think. But this fallen world
needs to be reminded of how incredible and vast our God is. The psalmist
points out that the heavens declare His glory. Creation speaks loud and
clear about His creative power and divine nature. His Word paints a
magnificent picture of His glory, recording the drama and wonder of
God’s interaction with His people. And we have, on a daily basis, the
responsibility of reflecting and representing God’s glory in this world.
His “portfolio” of glory staggers the imagination. It encompasses His
personal, unconditional love. It draws in His broad and limitless
mercy—mercy that patiently holds back His hand of judgment. His
credentials include perfect wisdom, undiminished holiness, unflinching
faithfulness, perfect justice, and the realities that He is all-powerful
and all-knowing. Simply put, His glory is all that He is in His
all-surpassing, praiseworthy, stunning perfection.
So how do we reflect His glory? On this side of heaven, as fallen
sinful creatures, we do it imperfectly. However, as we begin to grasp
how immense and incredible God’s glory is, it starts to show up in our
lives. As we demonstrate mercy and forgiveness to a friend that has
wounded us, we are agents of God’s mercy. When we remain faithful to our
relationships, loving others through thick and thin, we are reflecting
the glory of God’s unconditional love. When our hearts of compassion
move us to act on behalf of the poor, the needy, and the marginalized,
we are representing our God’s heart of justice and compassion. As our
lives begin to line up with the principles of God’s Word, we highlight
the glory of God’s perfect wisdom. His “portfolio” is on display for a
needy and watching world.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that the purpose of our redemption—God
buying us back—was that we might glorify God. You are His agent today.
There is no greater privilege or calling!
YOUR JOURNEY…
- Take a few minutes to write out some characteristics that would appear in God’s portfolio. Spend some time praising God for who He is and what He’s like!
- List some ways you have seen some of God’s characteristics reflected in the lives of other Christians.
- For each of those characteristics, write out some practical ideas about how they could be reflected in your life.
- In prayer, thank God for the privilege of being an agent of His glory and ask that people would clearly see Him reflected in your life.
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