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We seem to be on a theme lately, with regards to giving thanks. Because this is one of my favourite topics as a worship leader, I'm going to use today's post to connect glorification of God with giving thanks to God.

We read in scripture that our ultimate ambition, joy, and satisfaction are all found through glorifying God, but how do we do that?

Many passages in the Bible remind us that we should seek God's glory, but since "glory" is kind of archaic language, I think many people haven't processed exactly what that means. How do we glorify someone who is already ultimately glorious? When we say, "Oh God, we give you glory," that seems redundant to one who has all the glory already!

I think it's like this: we glorify God when we ENJOY Him. (I didn't come up with this on my own- it was John Piper who first wrote of "Christian Hedonism.")

While that term seems slightly indulgent to me (and possibly prone to abuse), I do appreciate the concept. Piper summarized it with the phrase, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Read that again.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Are we satisfied in God?

I think I can use my general attitude as a measurement stick. Am I fulfilled? Am I constantly longing for something else? Am I full of thanksgiving?

It's that last one that I want to highlight today.

If one fails to notice the beauty of the world around them, fails to appreciate the tastes, smells, sounds, and experiences of simply being alive, then I think that person is failing to glorify God.

As we enjoy the world, and remember to give thanks for it, we give glory to God! That is worship.

So you can see now why I think glorifying God is intimately connected with expressing thanks to God. When we notice, and appreciate God for the many things he's done, for the moments we experience pleasure, for the people who make us happy, that's when we glorify him.

That's what this Psalmist is doing today. He encourages us to thank God for his faithful and steadfast love, which never ends.

Amen

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A Confession of Israel’s Sins

1 Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
2 Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
3 Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favour to your people;
help me when you deliver them;
5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory in your heritage.
6 Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.

19 They made a calf at Horeb
and worshipped a cast image.
20 They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Saviour,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#scripturesongs #psalm106:1-6