All Glory be Centered in JESUS Christ, 'The LORD our Righteousness'

"Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea." -Isaiah 24:15 [KJV]

My soul, hast thou ever considered, in how many ways, and by what a variety of means, every poor sinner called by grace, is furnished with ability to glorify God in Christ? It is blessed to see this, and doubly blessed to be employed in such a service. The poor sinner not only glorifies Jesus, actively, when he is praising Him; but passively also, when his wants and necessities afford occasion for Jesus to be glorified in giving out of His fulness to his relief.

And how is the Lord glorified in the fires? Evidently when in the furnace of affliction, or in the fire of temptation, the poor exercised soul glories in his infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon him! when he can, and when he doth receive all, and take all, and feel happy under all, from the consciousness that the Lord's hand is in it, and the Lord's blessing will be upon it. "I was dumb, (said one of old) and opened not my mouth, for it was thy doing." And another ancient sufferer cried out, "Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?"

Oh! it is most blessed to see a child of God, thus engaged for God, when matters are most dark and discouraging! It is easy, comparatively speaking, for a man to praise and give glory to the Lord, when all things around him are gay and smiling: but when songs are heard from the fires, and when the soul feels its own wretchedness, and cries out under it, "My leanness, my leanness!" and is looking to a God in Christ; here is a flame of mind suited to the divine glory. 

My soul, see that all try glory be centered in Jesus, and on God in Jesus, as the name of the LORD God of Israel. And Oh! for grace to give Him both the praises and the glory, in Whom "all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory!"

 

-preacher Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)

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