Glorifying God

The Westminster Catechism tells us that we are here to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Have you ever pondered about how this happens? My view has changed over the years. At times I have begged God to glorify Himself through me by making me completely happy, completely satisfied with life, and completely, or at least "practically perfect in every way." I really don't think I would have told you that as a definition, but I lived and prayed that way. I still do in a great deal of ways. John Calvin tells us that in order to really know and glorify God for who He really is we also have to know ourselves.

I have been reading over the life of Jacob. Now here was a man that had an unbelievable start. Caught up in the beginning of with jealousy, domestic strife, and fear, he doesn't resemble a patriarch at all. Deception is his middle name, egged on by his mother who encourages him along the lines of lying, manipulation, and doing it "my way." Neither he nor his mother could wait for the promise of God to be realized God's way, so they hatch an elaborate scheme to by pass quickly God's plan. Jacob does get the blessing of his father, he does go on to be a patriarch, and he does gain the wife that was from Hebrew ancestry. He by passed the way of God and did it his way. And one morning wakes up with Leah in the bed next to him instead of Rachel. One of the first things out of his mouth to Laban after his wedding night, was, "You deceived me." Oh what does it take for God to show us our heart. The grace of God was not about to let Jacob go, but in order for Jacob to actually see and experience the grace of God, God had to show him his heart. John Piper says, "God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him." Augustine said it much earlier than Piper did, but the point is, that Jacob could not be satisfied with God's Word. God had promised him that he would be a community of peoples, he would be the promised one, he would be blessed, not his older brother. But, Jacob thought he could by pass all of this. Rebekah his mom was not the only one to blame either, his father knew of the promise that the older would serve the younger, but also thought he would by pass the promise, cause he seemed to like Esau better. This gives me great hope, not only for myself, but for my family. God's grace prevailed, even through all the sins of the family. God did not let Jacob stay in his sin either. It wasn't pleasant what Jacob had to go through, but I'm sure that the moment he blurted out those words, "you have deceived me." He saw the reality of his own heart. How often that happens to me. God's grace prevails, and His promises are always fulfilled. He is much more interested in His own veracity than I am. Calvin was right, the more we seek God, the more we will know our own hearts. The more we see our hearts and the depths of our depravity, the more God's grace is Large! We then repent, and begin to, in little ways, be much more a tune to God's glory than our own. And believe me, that is the way to truly enjoy Him!

*Dedicated to Mo, who encouraged her mom this week, by missing my blog posts!