This is the eleventh and final of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC.
I hope you knew I would have to conclude my reflections with the truth of God’s glory.
I don’t think I came to GBC with the priority of God’s glory as preeminently clear in my head. But it is now. There is one thing that compels me in ministry and that is to reveal (glorify) the character of God and enjoy (magnify) Him. That doesn’t mean that everything I do glorifies Him — my sin prevents that. Nor does it mean that everything I do magnifies Him fully — my fleshly human nature prevents that. But it does mean that my quest and trajectory is towards upholding the glory of God as well as I am able.
I know it’s something of a joke about my constant reading and quoting of John Piper. I don’t worship him. But I do love the God He loves. He has a high view of the person of God and he stimulates me in that same godly direction. That’s why I continue to be compelled to read his books and listen to his sermons — because I need regular reminders of the supremacy of God.
In like manner, when I finished seminary I had virtually no exposure to the Puritans. Then someone gave me a book by Thomas Watson and it sat on my shelf for years — All Things for Good. One day I pulled it off the shelf and started perusing it and I was hooked. I had to have a worship of God and delight in God like he had.
That’s why I love the Puritans and that’s why I love Piper — because they have a great and grand and glorious God. And I constantly need to be reminded of the truth that nothing is greater or more important than God and revealing Him because my heart is so inclined to minimize Him.
Life is all about Him. He gets the honor and glory.
Whatever you do, whatever I do, whatever the church does, actually, God does it (Jn. 15:5; Phil. 2:12-13)
It’s all about Him. Any good that is accomplished in our lives or in our church is because of the greatness of God and His grace; you honor Him.
Whenever I do a wedding, I always remind the couple that the day is not about them, it is about the God they worship and I am going to do everything I can to use them to direct the eyes of the audience to Christ. The same is true as we think about our ministries, our church, our families, or any other portion of our lives. Everything is about the greatness of His glory.
He will be our eternal preoccupation. He will forever receive our honor and praise. He is worthy of receiving that honor today and everyday as we give thanks for His work in us.
As I think about ministry, as I think about my ministry, as I think about church, and as I think about our church, I am thankful for the glory of God that upholds us and strengthens us and works through us so that He is revealed to be gloriously supreme.
Words of Grace 