Overflowing Glory

 

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

OVERFLOWING GLORY

2 Cor 4:13-15

13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

NIV

Paul is quoting the words of the psalmist in his 116^th song. Although the circumstances are many years apart, they are somewhat the same. The psalmist was in distress and so has been Paul. The truth of this can apply to our lives at times. Although in general, we are not in distress in the manner of the psalmist nor Paul. The idea is that because we believe we have the confidence to speak to God and to pray when we have a situation that is beyond our ability to cope with, which is most of life. The problem comes when we think that we can handle everything that comes our way and that we can fix it, we can solve the problem. When we think that we are strong, we are in deep trouble. Yes, God has given us a mind and with it, we can learn many things. But the greatest thing we can learn is that we can rely on God. What is the sense in believing if we live our life in accordance with our own abilities, knowledge, or strength? Do we just believe so that we can escape death? Is salvation the only thing we believe in God for? Paul does make that point in some sense when he says, that because he knows that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, that he will also raise us with Jesus and present us in his presence. That is a great reason to believe, and of our belief, we may share this great story, this gospel message so that more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. That is what we should be doing as well, living in such a manner, living with thanksgiving not just in our quite times alone, but living life out loud, thanking God for everything in our lives, all the time so that our life overflows with thanksgiving, bringing all the glory to God. This goes right along with not working for the praise of men, but for the praise of God, except that we need it insist that when we are praised, which happens, as it seems the normal thing most people do, we transfer that praise to God. This is more than believing to be saved but speaking because we believe. Speaking to God about everything and giving God all the credit for everything in our lives. When God’s grace, His divine influence upon our hearts, is reflected in our lives, it causes us to overflow with the glory of God. How can we remain silent when we have the Spirit of God dwelling within and giving us the confidence to speak of His glory?