The View Through the Telescope

One thing I miss so much about Okinawa is going to church at the Harbor and hearing Mark Oshman teach.  A couple of years ago he went through a sermon series on the Five Solas of the Reformation (Sola Scriptura, Sola Christus, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, and Soli Deo Gloria.)  Today I listened to the podcast of the last of those sermons, and it really resonated with me.  Soli deo gloria, to God the glory alone.

Two of Mark's visual aides were a microscope and a telescope.  The microscope takes what is small and makes it seem bigger.  It is an illustration of the way we tend to magnify our lives, and we want to be what it's all about.  The telescope on the other hand takes what is unfathomable and tries to bring it somewhat into focus.  Looking through the "telescope" means taking our focus off our teeny tiny selves and putting it on the Creator of the universe.  Not a bad trade eh?

One thing is clear about humans: we were created to worship.  We all worship something, but the problem is our worship is often misguided and misdirected.  Mark talked about how no one has to teach us how to worship, all you have to do is turn on your TV and watch any sporting event.  Fans shouting and acting crazy in the stands?  They are, in a sense, worshipping the sports teams.  Maybe sports aren't your thing, but how about music stars, money, or even your free time?  Something, whether God or otherwise, is the focus of your worship.

Check out Romans 11:33-36.  It says, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out!  Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been his counselor?  Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?  For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be the glory forever!  Amen."  Amen indeed!  The God of the universe is worthy of all praise.  Nothing created could ever deserve the worship that God does.

Much of scripture is dedicated to expressing the fact that everything God does is for his glory.  Even creation of the world and people was meant to be a means of expressing his splendor and majesty!  Too often we get the idea that the world was created for us, and everything revolves around us.   We couldn't be more wrong.  Isaiah 43:6 says, "Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."  We were created for God's glory!  To worship, praise, and enjoy him forever!  This, my friends, the the purpose and meaning to life on this earth!

One place people stumble is to think that because God is all about his own glory, that somehow makes him egotistical.  But think of it this way: God is above everything.  He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving.  If he were to direct his (or our) praise at anything else, he would be cheating us of worshipping the only thing worthy of our praise (himself.)  It would be a lie.  So no, God is not some kind of megalomaniac, he is a loving God who wants nothing but the best for his children.  And the best is himself!  Isaiah 42:8 teaches, "I am the Lord; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols."

God will not share his glory with anything he has created.  There is room in your heart to worship and glorify only one thing.  Is it God?  Or is it something else?  Are you looking through the microscope, trying to be your own big picture?  Or are you peering through the telescope at something much, MUCH greater?