A Life that Glorifies God
Glorifying God Through Joy, Humility, and Community
Have you ever stood before a breathtaking sunset, only to find yourself and those around you more focused on taking selfies than absorbing the beauty? This common scene serves as a poignant metaphor for how we often approach life itself. We're so busy focusing on ourselves that we miss the magnificent glory surrounding us.
Throughout history, philosophers and thinkers have grappled with the question, "What is the meaning of life?" Some wise pastors long ago provided an answer that resonates deeply: "Man's purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." This profound statement encapsulates the essence of our existence, yet how often do we truly live it out?
The biblical account of Mary and Elizabeth's encounter offers us a beautiful model for living out this purpose. Their story, found in the first chapter of Luke, reveals three key aspects of a life that truly glorifies God: joyful praise, humble strength, and life together.
Joyful Praise
When Mary, newly pregnant with Jesus, visits her relative Elizabeth, the scene erupts with joy. Elizabeth's unborn child leaps in her womb, and both women are filled with the Holy Spirit, bursting into praise. Mary's response, known as the Magnificat, begins with the powerful words: "My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
This joyful praise isn't tied to perfect circumstances – both women were facing unexpected and potentially challenging situations. Yet they chose to focus on God's goodness and faithfulness, magnifying Him rather than their problems. Their example challenges us to cultivate lives marked by joyful praise, even in the midst of difficulties.
Practical steps to cultivate joyful praise:
Humble Strength
Elizabeth's response to Mary's visit is striking in its humility. Despite being older and more established, she exclaims, "But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" This attitude of humble strength permeates their encounter.
Mary's song further emphasizes this theme: "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty." This radical inversion of worldly values challenges our natural inclinations toward pride and self-promotion.
True humility, as Tim Keller beautifully puts it, "isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." It's a strength that comes from recognizing our dependence on God and orienting our lives toward His glory rather than our own.
Cultivating humble strength:
Life Together
Mary's immediate response to the news of her pregnancy was to seek out community with Elizabeth. This reminds us that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. We are called to "life together," as Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote.
The end of Mary's song broadens from her personal experience to encompass all of God's people: "He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors." This expansion reminds us that we are part of a larger story, connected to believers across time and space.
Living out our faith in community is essential, yet often challenging. It's easy to segregate ourselves based on superficial differences or to avoid the messiness of true fellowship. However, it's in the context of life together that we most fully glorify God and experience His joy.
Fostering life together:
Imagine again that scene of the sunset. Now picture a group of people standing shoulder to shoulder, all gazing outward in awe at the beauty before them. This image captures the essence of a life lived to glorify God – joyful, humble, and united in wonder at His greatness.
The Christmas story, with its unexpected prophets like Mary and Elizabeth, invites us into this way of living. It challenges us to lift our eyes from our self-focused "selfies" and behold the magnificent work of God unfolding around us and through us.
As we navigate the complexities of our world, including tumultuous political seasons, these principles of joyful praise, humble strength, and life together offer a radical alternative. They call us to lay down our lives for others, even our enemies, following the example of Christ.
Living out this purpose – glorifying God and enjoying Him forever – has the power to change not only our individual lives but the entire world. Christianity's global reach is a testament to the transformative power of joy, humility, and genuine community lived out in faith.
This Christmas season, and beyond, let's challenge ourselves to truly live out the meaning of life:
As we do, we may find that we're living lives that not only glorify God but also experience the deep joy and purpose we were created for. May we, like Mary and Elizabeth, become unexpected prophets in our own time, pointing others to the glory of God through our lives of joyful, humble community.
Have you ever stood before a breathtaking sunset, only to find yourself and those around you more focused on taking selfies than absorbing the beauty? This common scene serves as a poignant metaphor for how we often approach life itself. We're so busy focusing on ourselves that we miss the magnificent glory surrounding us.
Throughout history, philosophers and thinkers have grappled with the question, "What is the meaning of life?" Some wise pastors long ago provided an answer that resonates deeply: "Man's purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." This profound statement encapsulates the essence of our existence, yet how often do we truly live it out?
The biblical account of Mary and Elizabeth's encounter offers us a beautiful model for living out this purpose. Their story, found in the first chapter of Luke, reveals three key aspects of a life that truly glorifies God: joyful praise, humble strength, and life together.
Joyful Praise
When Mary, newly pregnant with Jesus, visits her relative Elizabeth, the scene erupts with joy. Elizabeth's unborn child leaps in her womb, and both women are filled with the Holy Spirit, bursting into praise. Mary's response, known as the Magnificat, begins with the powerful words: "My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
This joyful praise isn't tied to perfect circumstances – both women were facing unexpected and potentially challenging situations. Yet they chose to focus on God's goodness and faithfulness, magnifying Him rather than their problems. Their example challenges us to cultivate lives marked by joyful praise, even in the midst of difficulties.
Practical steps to cultivate joyful praise:
- Put down our "phones" (literally and figuratively) and intentionally focus on God's beauty in creation and in His Word.
- Start each day by thanking God for His blessings.
- Make worship and praise a regular rhythm in your life.
Humble Strength
Elizabeth's response to Mary's visit is striking in its humility. Despite being older and more established, she exclaims, "But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" This attitude of humble strength permeates their encounter.
Mary's song further emphasizes this theme: "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty." This radical inversion of worldly values challenges our natural inclinations toward pride and self-promotion.
True humility, as Tim Keller beautifully puts it, "isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." It's a strength that comes from recognizing our dependence on God and orienting our lives toward His glory rather than our own.
Cultivating humble strength:
- Acknowledge our weaknesses and ask God to show us where we need His strength.
- Practice curiosity about others, asking questions and showing genuine interest.
- Look to Jesus as our ultimate example of humble strength.
Life Together
Mary's immediate response to the news of her pregnancy was to seek out community with Elizabeth. This reminds us that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. We are called to "life together," as Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote.
The end of Mary's song broadens from her personal experience to encompass all of God's people: "He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors." This expansion reminds us that we are part of a larger story, connected to believers across time and space.
Living out our faith in community is essential, yet often challenging. It's easy to segregate ourselves based on superficial differences or to avoid the messiness of true fellowship. However, it's in the context of life together that we most fully glorify God and experience His joy.
Fostering life together:
- Be an "instigator of community" by initiating gatherings and invitations.
- Practice hospitality, even in small ways.
- Seek reconciliation and understanding when conflicts arise.
- Reflecting on the Bigger Picture
Imagine again that scene of the sunset. Now picture a group of people standing shoulder to shoulder, all gazing outward in awe at the beauty before them. This image captures the essence of a life lived to glorify God – joyful, humble, and united in wonder at His greatness.
The Christmas story, with its unexpected prophets like Mary and Elizabeth, invites us into this way of living. It challenges us to lift our eyes from our self-focused "selfies" and behold the magnificent work of God unfolding around us and through us.
As we navigate the complexities of our world, including tumultuous political seasons, these principles of joyful praise, humble strength, and life together offer a radical alternative. They call us to lay down our lives for others, even our enemies, following the example of Christ.
Living out this purpose – glorifying God and enjoying Him forever – has the power to change not only our individual lives but the entire world. Christianity's global reach is a testament to the transformative power of joy, humility, and genuine community lived out in faith.
This Christmas season, and beyond, let's challenge ourselves to truly live out the meaning of life:
- Cultivate joyful praise by intentionally focusing on God's goodness and beauty.
- Embrace humble strength, putting others first and finding our identity in Christ.
- Invest in life together, being willing to enter the messiness of true community.
As we do, we may find that we're living lives that not only glorify God but also experience the deep joy and purpose we were created for. May we, like Mary and Elizabeth, become unexpected prophets in our own time, pointing others to the glory of God through our lives of joyful, humble community.
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