313. HAVE YOU RETURNED TO GIVE GOD GLORY?

(The Faith Forum Series – Batch 11)

In Genesis 28:20-21, after Jacob had left his parents in Beersheba when fleeing his brother Esau and went, upon their instructions, to Haran, while on his journey, it says:

“And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God.”

The place that Jacob was in when he made this vow, was named Luz but he renamed it Bethel (vs.19). Years later, after he had been blessed with food and children and wealth and was on his way back, the Lord having preserved his life and been faithful in keeping and providing for him, he instructed him to go back to the same place, Bethel, where he had made the promise.

In chapter 35:1 it states:

“And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.”

God wanted him to go back to the place where he had made his vow, after God had demonstrated his faithfulness to him all those years, by keeping him safe, just as he had asked and providing clothes and food for him. Indeed, the Lord had expanded him and his wealth, far more than he had ever thought possible and now, God wanted him to return to the place where the vow had been made. He did not want him to rush off once there but to spend some quality time in that place, in meditation of his goodness and to worship him.

I firmly believe that we bring God glory when we think back on how far he took us and where he brought us from, especially when he enables us to make milestone achievements and to reach heights that we may have never thought possible and never could have brought to pass in our own strength. I believe he wants us, before enjoying our mountainous moments, to remember how he was with us when we were in the valley. Today we may be experiencing glorious sunshine but there was a time when all we experienced was darkness and tears. God was there when we were vulnerable, afraid, lonely, when nobody else could have helped us. He guided us on our journey, navigated our path through that valley or wilderness experience and in his time, brought us out into a large place. Before rushing off to enjoy the spoils, is it any wonder, that God wants us to spend some quality time with him first, remembering and reflecting on his faithfulness?

In the Bible, there are beautiful examples of men and women of God, who took the time to give God praise, honour and glory, when he did something miraculously wonderful for them or delivered them from their troubles.

There is for example, Moses, the children of Israel and Miriam in Exodus 14:31 and 15, who sang a song of praises to the Lord after he had overthrown their enemies the Egyptians in the red sea but caused them to go over unto dry land. Instead of continuing on immediately with their journey after they had crossed the red sea unto dry ground and witnessed how God had powerfully destroyed their enemies, they stopped to reflect on what God had done for them, how mightily he had fought on their behalf, to give him thanks and to magnify and glorify his name.

The scripture reads:

“And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses…Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he hath cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?…The Lord shall reign for ever and ever…And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”

In Psalm 118, the Psalmist also took time to meditate on what God had done for him and to give thanks for the deliverance he had wrought for him, by the strength of his hand. He stated:

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever…I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me… All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Hannah also took time to reflect on what God did for her and to give him glory. In 1 Samuel 2: 1-10, after God had heard her prayer, removed her barrenness, given her conception and allowed her to bear a son, her having been taunted for many years by Peninnah, for being infertile, her gratitude to the Lord birthed praise! In remembrance of the pain that she endured from the cruel comments made by Peninnah and how God had come through for her, it says in 1 Samuel 2:1-10:

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Similarly, when God intervened to topple all of Mary’s plans for her life and she was told by his angel Gabriel, that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God, Jesus, Mary submitted to this call and considered herself honoured to have been selected by God to bring the Saviour into the world. Upon visiting her cousin Elisabeth, who she had been told by the angel was also six month’s pregnant although she qas old and had always been barren, Mary took time to give God praise, by faith. She had not yet conceived as far as she was aware and had no signs of a pregnancy but she believed that what God had communicated to her through his angel, would be exactly what occurred, although she was a virgin.

In Luke 1:46 to 55, having been blessed by Elisabeth, Mary, although surely excited at everything that the Lord was doing in her life and in her cousin Elisabeth’s, took time to exalt his name. She humbly declared with gratitude:

“…My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Indeed, that God expects and is well-pleased when we give him praise and make our boast in him when he does anything for us, was clearly demonstrated in Luke 17, when Jesus met and brought about healing to ten lepers. Although he had done wonderfully however, in hearing their cry in their state of destitution and causing them to be healed, when they realized that they had gotten the healing they so desired, nine of them went ungratefully on their way, too overcome with the joy of their healed stated and all that this meant, to take the time to go back to thank the One that had healed them.

Only one of the healed lepers, who was a Samaritan and therefore would have been considered even more of an outcast than the other nine lepers, in a heart full of gratitude after all that he had suffered and knowing that he was undeserving, returned and falling down on his face, gave God glory.

Of Jesus and his disciples, the scriptures state in verses 11 to 19:

“And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”

Sometimes, Christians can kept so caught up with all that God has blessed them with, be it a spouse, children, a job, promotion, good health, good finances, deliverance from some hardship or from foes and so much more, that they forget to stop and give him the glory for what he has done for them. Some may even feel entitled and deserving and therefore underrate the need for praise or consider in pride, that they have gotten what they got by their own effort, intelligence and strength. However, we are deserving of nothing but hell, can do nothing of ourselves and attract nothing good of ourselves. As Jesus himself stated, “…without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Therefore, every good gift or thing that God gives us or allows into our lives, including how he has grafted us in as Gentiles and saved us freely by his grace is reason to stop and exalt his name. We must be careful to bless the Blesser, before we enjoy the blessing.

God expects this and is deserving of this. After years of providing, keeping, helping, preserving and expanding Jacob’s possessions therefore, God told him to return to Bethel, the place that he, when vulnerable⁸, had made his vow to God. God having shown himself faithful to him for so many years, in acknowledgement of this and appreciative of all that He had done for him, Jacob obeyed God’s instruction. He told his family (which God had given him) in verses 3 of chapter 35:

“… let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.”

Verses 6 to 7 reads:

“So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.”

Even after this time, God continued to be faithful to Jacob, providing for him and is family even in a severe drought, so that he lived to an old age. When there was famine in the land, he made arrangements through his son Joseph, who was second in command in Egypt, to sustain him and his family, so that he was fed.

(Written on 09^th September, 2024)

Dear Reader, if you found the above Article to be interesting, informative, beneficial or edifying, you may also be interested in reading the following:

Note 173 – ‘Showdown In Egypt: God’s Power Trumps All’
Note 296 – ‘God Is Jealous For His Glory’
Note 305 – ‘A Lesson In Humility‘
Note 306 – ‘God Is Honoured When We Give Him Our First’

Also, under the ‘BROKEN Daughters’ page:

Note 36 – ‘The Faithfulness Of God – Remembering How Far We’ve Come’
Note 44 – ‘Walking And Leaping And Praising God’
Note 51 – ‘The Greatest Doctor Of All Time’

Additionally, under the SINGLE Daughters’ page:

Note 52 – ‘Bringing God Glory On The Road From Being Gloriously Single To Graciously Married’
Note 61 – ‘Who Deserves The Glory?’
Note 95 – ‘Are You Too Puffed Up, Full Of Yourself Or Prideful?’
Note 305 – ‘The Lady With The Issue Of Blood’

Also, under the ‘COURTING Daughters’ page: