soli deo gloria

in many christian circles, if not all, the main thing in life that is stressed is what we are not to do: don't lie, don't murder, don't lust, don't covet, and the list goes on and on. while this is needful for the christian walk, it is still missing a whole lot.

another thing that is stressed is what to do: serve the elderly, adopt orphans, give to the needy, worship, pray, read your bible, this list also goes on and on and this list also misses a whole lot.

we have the do's and don't's (if that's a word) of the christian life basically memorized but i ask "to what means?" why do we do or don't do all of these things? what is the purpose behind them? why not do them or why don't do them? what is our motive?

this is what, i believe, the real issue. why do any of these things? as the title of this post suggest (to those who don't know "soli deo gloria" means "to the glory of God alone") we are to do these things for a single reason and that reason is the glory of God. in everything that you do, you are to do it for God and His glory. any other reason is sin. doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is just as bad as doing the wrong thing (perhaps not morally but spiritually). all that we do, we are to do for the glory of the God that created us. we were put on this earth for the very purpose of bringing God pleasure and glory. all that He made, he made to show Himself off. He is the only one who can show off and He is going to show Himself off because He is worthy to be shown off. no matter how cool you think you are, you are nothing compared to God. he is the one who made the mountains, the seas, the atoms, the electrons, the quarks, the planets, the sun, the stars, the galaxies, the universe and all matter. He made it all for Himself because He could. He did it all with just His words. this is the God that we are to worship and bring glory to.

i challenge you. look at your life. in what areas can you change or do away with in order to bring God the upmost glory. do not settle for giving Him some glory, He is worthy of all glory. every minute of your existence should be spent bringing glory to God, so do it. it will consume your whole life, but it will be a life well spent. a life that is satisfying. a life worth living.