Glory Bank

Psalm 115 Glory to God Alone

¹ Not to us, LORD, not to us,
but to Your name give glory
because of Your faithful love, because of Your truth.

When we were living in the Dominican Republic, serving with SCORE International, and we had a Sunday with no groups, we would go to Santo Domingo attend church at International Baptist Church.  Loved IBI for the music that prepared us for the message and for the message that challenged and drew me closer to God.  I was always refreshed after a Sunday there.  It was there that I 1st heard the song “Not To Us, But To Your Name, Be The Glory.”  In Spanish.  I’ll never forget the 1st time I heard that song. I began singing along until I couldn’t sing it anymore… ‘cuz I realized I’d been robbing glory from God’s Glory Bank. I was convicted, moved to tears (which doesn’t happen often) and repented of accepting payments into Kendra’s Glory Bank.  See, people would come to the DR, know us for a week and say wonderful things to us or about us.  (Anyone can be wonderful for a week, ahem).   I remember talking with God (who says you have to wait until “decision time” to get things right with God?) and asked Him to make me aware of any glory brought my way so I can redirect it His way.

I wish I could sit here and tell ya’ six years later that I’ve never robbed from God’s Glory Bank again.  I have. See, it’s this subtle thing called pride that sneaks up and manifests itself in the hidden places of the heart.  It’s the place that gets warm-n-fuzzy when you hear something nice said about you.  It’s the time you get frustrated or annoyed about how something turns out, ‘cuz you didn’t get your way (or your say).  It’s those instances that you do something because of how it will benefit you with no mind of God, His plan or His glory.  We be robbin’ from the Glory Bank ya’ll.  I know I’m not alone here (right??).

Louie Giglio preached a message at Passion 2010 about God’s glory.  He asks the question, “Are you willing to trade something small for something HUGE, for God’s glory?”  Are you/I willing to trade in SELF for HIM?  Are you/I willing to trade in whatever it is we’re going through (relationship struggles, financial crisis, devastating illness, loss of a loved one, daily annoyances/frustrations, career/position aspirations, disappointments…) for His Glory?

Tony Nolan’s Twitter BIO says “SPOTLIGHT HOLDER ON JESUS CHRIST!”  That’s what I want to be – a spotlight holder on Jesus Christ.  That anything good that comes from me is because of God and for God – for His GLORY BANK. Not mine.  That is all.