They Glorified God In Me

“But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.  And they glorified God in me.”-Galatians 1: 23 & 24

It has been said, reputation is what you’re perceived to be, and your character is what you really are.  While we hope our reputation and character is always positive, that may not always be the case.  Paul the Apostle was one such a case, he found that it took time for his reputation to catch up to his character.  No matter, because the end result was “they glorified God in me.”   In all things we want to glorify God.  The whole of humanity is meant for one purpose, to glorify God.   

Genesis, chapter one, tells us that God created: land and sea, space and sky, plants and animals; then he created man to inhabit his creation and he desired that God himself would inhabit mankind.  The sun will rise over the Atlantic each morning to bring light to the earth and people will be in awe of its beauty.  The blue sky and misty mountains will testify to the magnificence and might of the Almighty.  The vastness of space will promote the awesome power of the Alpha and Omega.  Yet, in all this; there is no choice or free will.  There is only creation.  We are the inhabitants of his creation and creation itself but we are different in that we can choose to deny God.  We can choose to deny his grace, his mercy, his power; we can even choose to deny his existence.  We have this choice while here on Earth, at times without punishment or retribution (however once we die we face judgment).  It was gifted to us just the same as the gift of life.  The sun cannot choose to shine, nor the tide to change, even the angels are subject to his authority, but God in his grace and mercy gave us choice, and loved us enough to subject himself to ridicule and mocking from the very creation which he made out of dust.  He wanted us to experience holiness, he wanted us to know Him, and he wanted this so passionately that he willingly gave his only Son so that we might find redemption and true life.  Think back, what brought you to Christ?  What convinced you that you could be saved?  Was it pictures of the Rocky Mountains or a visit to the Grand Canyon?  Perhaps, but far more likely it was the love of a Christian brother, it was a righteous life lived before you.  It was the preaching (and living) of the cross by a pastor or layman.  They glorified God and that glory drew you, it drew me.  They shined the light of Jesus in their life and it attracted us; it made you want to serve God and glorify Him over yourself.  God drew you to do His will over your own.  God was glorified within them, and his Holy Spirit called out to you.  Saul the Jew had the reputation and character of a man who persecuted the Christian church.  He believed in what he was doing, but it did not glorify God.  We may believe in what we are doing, and we may have a reputation and character that is acceptable, maybe even exalted but does it glorify God?  Does your life exalt Christ?  

Saul the prosecutor was soon struck down on the road and converted to Paul the apostle, and they "glorified God in him.”  The power of God  through Christ changed that man, and Christ can change your life.   If God can command the oceans, he can change your life.  If God can move the mountains, he can change your life.  If God can set the sun in the sky, he can change your life.  These things have to obey him, but you must choose to obey him, and in choosing you can be a vessel unto honor so that your reputation and character can be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  That it may be said: “they glorified God in me.”