It’s amazing to think that God chose us before the worlds began to be His children, His possession, His creation, to love now and for all eternity. We are precious in God’s sight. Everything He has created, everything He has done, was all done out of love for His chosen ones. Yet, it’s not easy to comprehend, is it? Even though we have read about the cross at Calvary where our Lord made the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me, somehow we can still have trouble seeing ourselves the way God sees us, redeemed and washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.
Whether you have children or don't have children but are a child of your mother and father, you have experienced unconditional love in one form or another. It might not even have been a parent in those unfortunate situations, but a relative or a friend. Yet, “You have never lived an unloved day in your life” (C.S. Lewis). Certainly, from an eternal perspective, this is true in regards to the love of the Father, but even with flawed human beings this quote still rings true. We are capable of loving unconditionally and receiving that love.
Even still, we can struggle with feeling lovable or loved. It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, to a degree, if we view ourselves this way. Our actions may actually cause us to be someone people don’t want to be around. If we are always down on ourselves, we aren’t going to attract people who are full of positivity because our negativity is dragging everyone down, which starts the vicious cycle of feeling unloved or unwanted.
Everyone has the opportunity to be loved by God, but not everyone accepts this free gift. When we as believers accepted the free gift of salvation, did we fully understand that we were also accepting God’s eternal and perfect love?
When we live in the reality of God’s love, we will walk in God confidence. We will present ourselves in a way that shows we are sons and daughters of the King of Heaven. Not in a conceited way, but in a way that showcases that we have been with the Lord. Walking in this manner, we can then live for the glory of God.
But what does it look like to live for the glory of God? The Apostle Peter gives us a blueprint for doing just that.
“Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:1-3
I am currently in a season of enjoying my precious new granddaughter who is almost four months old. She is still very much on the sleep, eat, play, schedule. However, she can be a finicky eater. Some days she sucks down her bottles. At other times, I feel like I’m bottle-feeding an owl, lol, as her little head keeps going back and forth, looking all around. Then she loses interest in feeding.
In order to live for the glory of God, we need to make sure that we don’t come to Bible reading like my sweet granddaughter can feed sometimes, being more concerned with what's going on around us or what we are thinking about. Rather, we should “suck down the bottle” and absorb everything we are reading in an intentional, purposeful, life-changing way.
The more we read the Bible, the more we will crave it like the newborn Peter describes, the more it will nourish our souls and the more we will live for the glory of God in all that we do and say.
“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
Did you ever think of yourself as a priest? When we think of priests, we see visions of authority wearing elaborate robes. So what does it look like to be part of God’s holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ?
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:9-12
Again, we see the importance of seeing ourselves as God sees us. In humility, recognizing our worth before God, but also seeing how merciful He has been to us.
To live for the glory of God as living stones, we will abstain from all fleshly lusts and do good deeds in the name of the Lord. Removing self from our actions and becoming selfless for God’s glory.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” 1 Peter 2:13-17
Honoring authority seems to be an issue of late. Whether during the pandemic honoring the Covid mandates or whether a general dislike for a political figure in office, I have seen this become a huge problem for some Christians. As Christians, non-Christians are watching us and are waiting to accuse us when we act in a manner contrary to their belief of how a Christian should behave. Whether it’s a misconception on their part or they are spot on, we must act in a manner that brings glory to God by honoring all people, loving the brotherhood, fearing God, and honoring those in office. That doesn’t mean you condone those things that are clearly against the Word of God, but doing so in a way that lacks love at its core is where we will stumble and fall.
When we live for the glory of God by honoring authority, we are recognizing that God is the ultimate authority over all institutions, and His will is what prevails.
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:21-24
When we wake up every morning remembering Whose we are and Who loves us with an everlasting love, we will walk in gratitude with a desire to please God by following in Christ’s footsteps.
This really does take practice and I confess is something that I too need to be reminded of. I think some of the biggest stumbling blocks for sin in the Christian’s life are the actions of others. We want to “bite back” and too often succumb to that temptation. When we are living for the glory of God, we will not let others' actions cause us to sin, but will keep entrusting ourselves to the one who judges righteously. Just think about the insults, betrayals and beatings Jesus took, but like a Lamb being led to slaughter, He kept entrusting Himself to His Heavenly Father and was without sin. Jesus set these examples so that we don’t suffer because of our own sin.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Matthew 11:28-29 When we let this be the prevailing thought over our lives whether it be difficult circumstances or difficult people, we will indeed exemplify Christ-like behavior and live for the Glory of God.
When we remember to come to the Word like a newborn babe, walk in the priesthood we have been chosen for, honor authority and let Christ be our example, we will consistently live for the Glory of God.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Jantanee Rungpranomkorn
Karen Del Tatto is a blogger, author, women's ministry leader, pastor's wife, mom, and grandmother who is passionate about the Word of God. Her blog Growing Together in Grace and Knowledge and her books Choosing to Trust God: Breaking the Habit of Worry, A 30-Day Devotional and Choosing to Trust God Companion Journal reveal her heart for providing Biblical insights to encourage women to grow in and through their struggles while equipping them to overcome. Karen and her husband live in Rhode Island and enjoy walks in the woods, owling, and spending time with their grandchildren.