Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to Joni and Friends.
Did you ever feel like you and God are a team, but you’re the one doing all the work? Do you ever resent that? Well, perhaps that’s why, when you think of heavenly glories above, you think of heavenly rewards… crowns… maybe you tend to see yourself holding on to your crown a little too tightly, unwilling to lay it at the feet of Jesus because you did all the work.
Well, in case you’re confused about who deserves the honors, I want you to listen to the following. You’ll be reminded of how thankful we ought to be that God gives us the opportunity to earn honors for him. Because this is how it really goes: Jesus Christ deserved glory, but he was humbled. Listen to what a saint of old once wrote:
“Jesus Christ deserved glory, but He was humbled. He deserved love, but He was hated by many. He deserved worship, but was rejected. He deserved praise, but often He was mocked and scorned. He deserved comfort, but He did not even have a home. He deserved riches, but He lived in poverty. He deserved holiness, but He became sin for us.
“In spite of all these things, Jesus never got confused about whom to honor, He never lost His praise to God. He had reasons to offer gratefulness to the Father, and He never ceased to give prayerful appreciation. Jesus never lost sight of the joy set before Him. He knew who to give the honors to.
“So in contrast look at us. We are the ones who deserve humility, but we receive glory. We deserve rejection, but God gives us Sonship. We deserve judgment, but we receive mercy. We are worthy of poverty, but God chooses to give us riches and make us part of the inheritance of the Son. We ought to be charged with sin’s curse, but instead God gives us righteousness.”
I tell you what friend, that, if anything, should clear up any confusion we have about who deserves the honors, who deserves the praise. And prayer is the best form from which to give Christ his just glory.
Look at the prayers Paul offered when he wrote the first few lines of his epistles. Paul always started out giving praise to God. Perhaps it was because Paul knew what he deserved – he knew he deserved hell, and that made him give to God all the more ceaseless and heartfelt praise.
When we get it straight about who gets the praise, boy, that’s when we bring delight to God. Can you imagine that you and I actually move the heart of the Lord of the universe with our praise? Just listen to these verses and imagine the smile of God where it says in Isaiah 42, “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.” And then in Isaiah 62 where it says, “The Lord will take delight in you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so God will rejoice over you.”
Friend, when you get it straight about who deserves the honors, who deserves the glory, who deserves the praise, just think of the joy you’ll be giving God.
And once again let me remind you of our website, it’s joniandfriends.org. Of course, you can always call and talk to one of our team members by dialing 1-888-522-5664. God’s blessings on you until next time we get together for Joni and Friends.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
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