THE GIVER GETS THE GLORY
Quote for Today
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WORD FROM THE HOLY BIBLE FOR TODAY
2 Thessalonians 1:11–12
“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
REFLECTION
GOOD NEWS RELYING ON GRACE GIVES GOD GRACE
“It is very good news that God designs his glory to be magnified through the exercise of his grace.
To be sure, God is glorified through the power of his wrath (Romans 9:22), but repeatedly the New Testament (and the Old Testament, for example, Isaiah 30:18) says that we should experience God’s grace so that God gets glory.
Ponder how this works in the prayer of 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12.
Paul prays that God would fulfill our good resolves.
How? He prays that they would be done “by [God’s] power.” That is, that they would be “[works] of faith.”
Why? So that Jesus would be glorified in us.
That means the giver gets the glory. God gave the power. God gets the glory. We have faith; he gives power. We get the help; he gets the glory. That’s the deal that keeps us humble and happy, and keeps him supreme and glorious.
Then Paul says that this glorification of Christ is “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus.”
God’s answer to Paul’s prayer that we rely on God’s power to do good works is grace. God’s power to enable you to do what you resolve to do is grace.
That’s the way it works in the New Testament over and over. Trust God for gracious enabling, and he gets the glory when the help comes.
We get the help. He gets the glory.
That’s why Christian living, not just Christian conversion, is good news.”
- By John Piper. © Desiring God Foundation.
THE GIVER GETS THE GLORY
GOOD NEWS RELYING ON GRACE GIVES GOD GRACE
This passage reminds us that every good work we do is ultimately empowered by God, not by our own strength. Our faith connects us to His power, ensuring that our efforts are not for self-glory but for the glory of Christ. This keeps us both humble—recognising that we are dependent on Him—and joyful, knowing that He is the source of our strength. It also reassures us that God is actively working in us, shaping us to be worthy of His calling. As we step out in faith, we can trust that He will complete His work in us, bringing glory to Himself and deepening our relationship with Him
Neven MacEwan
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us to Your purpose and for working in us through Your mighty power. Help us to remember that every good work we do is not by our strength but by Your grace. Teach us true humility, that we may always rely on You and not on ourselves. Let our faith be steadfast, trusting that You will fulfill every good resolve in us for Your glory. May our lives reflect Your greatness, and may we rejoice in knowing that all the honour belongs to You alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Neven MacEwan
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