Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name. (Ezekiel 36:22 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Hang on Jesus’ Coattails
I have occasionally toyed with the idea of investing in the stock market. Because of this, I receive some emails regularly giving advice. I have noticed a particular pattern. The best advice, stock market wise, comes from those who are investing themselves. Because the advice they offer seems to benefit themselves as much as us.
At first glance, that might appear dangerous. It might seem to suggest that the advisors are acting in their own interests, and not mine. But the two coincide. His interests can be my interests.
God restored Israel because it glorified His name. It also benefited Israel, but that was not the point. It is the frosting on the cake, the A-1 sauce on the steak, the Easter Egg after the movie, the embroidery on the blouse.
God restores us to Himself, through Jesus, to glorify His name. He benefits first. He gains the most. He gets what He wants.
We might not like the sound of that. It presents God as selfish and petty. But oh, it is not that way. Because He is the One True God. He is the All-holy, All-glorious, All-beautiful, All-perfect Lord of All of Heaven and All of Earth. When we do things for ourselves, we are selfish and petty. But when when God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit acts to display and claim glory, He acts in just the right way. The perfect way. The holy way.
And His glory WILL arrive. His glory DOES happen. His glory IS all around us.
And unnecessarily, but so very wonderfully, we share a part of it when we are a part of Him.
The only guarantee of success, peace, joy, and glory for us is found in clinging to Him.
Fear not, then hang on Jesus’ coattails.