Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
1 Chronicles 29:11, ESV
Our God is sovereign over all. He can handle and do anything, and we can trust in Him. Give Him glory!
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
1 John 5:14, ESV
Whatever will bring God glory and spread His love and grace, God will give us when we ask, and He gives us the Holy Spirit so that He can help us to know what to ask for.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14, ESV
We know God’s love for us, for He has promised to redeem all of Creation. Let us join in His redemptive work and carry the knowledge of Christ to all people.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16, ESV
People will know we have the love of God when we do good things for others without expectation of reward, only to bless others and give glory to the One who saved us.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14, ESV
The most impossible thing happened: God became like us, God the Son taking on flesh to share His grace and truth with us to the glory of God the Father and for our salvation from wrath against sin.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
Matthew 6:3, ESV
Seeking God will lead us to want to help others the same way Christ helped us, not so much to bring attention to ourselves but to glorify God, to bring others to faith and salvation.
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
Isaiah 9:1, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
As humans, we have a tendency to let those around us influence us more than God.
Look at Eve with the serpent.
Look at the brothers of Joseph, even though Reuben had tried to save him, still going along with his brothers.
Look at Israel as a nation, constantly turning to the gods of their neighbors.
Zebulun and Naphtali were the same, living way in the north of Israel, what came to be known as Galilee, often overrun with Gentile pagans, and they frequently gave in to their practices rather than worship the one true God.
Yet, God tells them that in the last days they would be blessed.
There is a reminder that we all fall short of God, that we need His help to be good, righteous, holy. We may wander far from Him, yet God comes to us. He makes a way for us. God comes and shares His glory.
If we are willing to see His light in our dark world.
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!