Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to HIM who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to HIM be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
These past few weeks we’ve been really focused on our relationship with God being a VERTICAL one. We attend a Harvest Bible Chapel and last week had the opportunity to attend James Macdonald‘s Vertical Church rally near us (if you can, listen to his series on Vertical Church – it will change your LIFE! Get the book too). I’m realizing now as I think back over the last few weeks of sermons and this past Tuesday’s message from James that I’ve been avoiding the truth in some areas where I have allowed things to become an idol.
One of those areas – and the main one – is this blog. Over and over again I am amazed at how I have come to even HAVE this space online. To go from not enjoying writing at all to writing for hours, multiple times a week, is something that I’m still surprised at. And if I think over the past year of writing, I can see hills and valleys in a number of different areas as I have learned and grown and been given opportunities.
The problem is, lately I’ve been taking it all back. Lately my posts have been all about ME – and less about HIM. Lately I’ve been trying to focus the attention on myself, on “what cool new thing can I write about”, or ” what blog hop can I participate in” to get more attention on me?
My blog has become an idol.
I have forgotten how I got here in the first place – yes, I wrote recipes to start, but then God started opening up my heart and my eyes through my time in the word to share what he was teaching me. And those were some of my best writing days. Big surprise that my quiet times have been pretty lacking lately, since I’ve been distracted and rushing to get MY AGENDA out there.
God is able to do SO MUCH MORE than we can even ask or imagine. But He requires that we have faith in Him, seek His face, and pursue relationship that seeks to give HIM all the glory and honour.
I have neglected to give Him the glory in a lot of things lately – like in my relationship with the iHomeschool Network as one of their bloggers; or being asked to be a part of the Teach Them Diligently Convention team of bloggers – and subsequently receiving a sponsorship to attend the Allume conference I have wanted to go to for over a year (and the only way it was going to happen was through a sponsorship! PTL!).
God has been at work in the hearts of our children and our family, yet I’ve kept silent about it to write instead about recipes and masks and drinking water.
Job 26:4 With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out of you?
When we take our eyes off of Him, when we put the focus on to ourselves, things often derail. I don’t want to do this life in my own strength or might or endeavors. But I want to allow HIS POWER to be at work within me, so that I can give HIM all glory, all honour.
Job 26:14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?
I want to hear the smallest whisper of His voice in my life, to understand and obey His leading – and to see His power at work. I want to SEE His glory, and give HIM the glory.
I don’t want to think that I have anything to offer – I am no great scholar or teacher. But what I can do is share what God is teaching me, in hopes of encouraging others to keep their focus on Him; to route out the idols in their hearts; to be broken over sin in our lives as God is. The Westminster Catechism has it right in saying “The chief end of man is to glorify God”.
It’s not about me. It’s about the glory of God. I want to be overwhelmed by Him, His creation, His hand at work, Christ on the cross.
Things may look a bit different here on the blog over the next little while. I need accountability. I need prayer. I need my focus to be on HIM – and not me.
For now….and for all eternity. To HIM be the glory.
