March 21, 2024 – The Ultimate Glory

“O children of Zion, be glad, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army that I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel  and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame.” Joel 2:23-27

“Here’s what you need to understand: only two types of glory exist—sign glory and ultimate glory. Sign glory is all the wondrous display of sights, sounds, colors, textures, tastes, smells, and experiences of the physical world that God created. These glories were not designed to satisfy your heart. They were not made to give you contentment, peace, meaning, and purpose. They have no capacity to give you life. Earth will never be your savior. Rather, all of creation was designed to be one big sign that points you to the One of ultimate glory who alone has the power to give you life and to satisfy your heart. God alone is able to give you life.” (“New Morning Mercies”, March 24; Paul David Tripp)

Where will you look for life today? Too many people look to this world, to this society, to this planet for their ultimate satisfaction. Too many people believe that Disney World is their ultimate destination in life. Others believe they find their greatest reward in the mountains. Those are wonderful and magical places, but they are not the Glory of G-d. Jesus is the one who offers us not only life now, but eternal life. When we strive to live the Christ-like life, we are truly choosing to seek G-d’s glory. It is G-d who gives us the rains and the sun, the winter and the spring, the earthly struggles and rewards. But nothing on this earth will compare with the glory yet to be revealed to us in G-d’s kingdom. It really is true that your heart will only ever be satisfied when it finds its satisfaction in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Dave