Psalm 115: 1

Jeff Cutts

To You alone, O Lord, to you alone, and not to us, must the glory be given because of Your constant love and faithfulness. Psalm 115: 1

Recently this verse grabbed my attention and became really meaningful to me. We were setting up a 24-7 prayer room in the half term and wanted it to be totally amazing - cool lighting, artistic, interactive - and it was! But I prayed this verse as we were doing it because I really wanted the room to direct people's attention to God, not to make a point about how cool our youth group was!

I quite often get to stand on a stage and play music and 'lead worship', and I like to do a good job. I want to play well, play cool songs, and I want everything to sound the best it can - and when it does sound good I get a feeling of satisfaction and think "yeah, this is great - we're doing it!".
...only, it's not about me - and I never want it to be - it's only so good because when we start to worship Him and give Him the glory we get God's attention and He turns his face to us and smiles...

Look at the next few verses of Psalm 115, can you see any similarities in what these verses say and the whole *BLING* celebrity focused consumer driven society that we live in?

'Why should the nations ask us, "where is your God?" Our God is in heaven; He does whatever he wishes. Their gods are made of silver and gold, formed by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk; they cannot make a sound. May all who made them and trust in them become like the idols they have made.' Psalm 115: 1-8

If you check out the music channels on TV you'll see how many people are saying "look at me!!" "Give me recognition", "give respect", "give me the glory!" Or look at people's motivation to have all the best, the cool stuff, the 'things they deserve' to look successful and make them look great.
Just think about this for a moment, because as Will Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players". We're on stage in the way we conduct ourselves, the way we work and play and in our relationships; in our entire life we can live in one of two ways - trying to find glory for ourselves, or living to give glory to God.

If we try to make ourselves great, in the end we'll realize that we're really not that great - but that any greatness is actually God's greatness reflecting off us! It's only natural to want the credit for work you have done, but it's worth having an attitude check to ask ourselves 'who am I really living for?' and if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10: 31)

Lord, may I never get bigheaded or lose the plot. To you alone, O Lord, to You alone and not to us be the glory! Amen.