Tuesday, October 28, 2014
1 Timothy 1:17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
HONOR AND GLORY
Honor is one of our most precious possessions -- not the kind of honor that is bestowed on people by hanging medals on them or handing trophies to them, but the kind of honor that enables one to live in the company of others.
If someone is without honor, who would rent a house or apartment to him? Every landlord would assume that such a person would simply destroy the dwelling. Someone without honor would not be trusted to pay the rent, or to make payments on a car loan. And who would want to hire someone without honor? An employer would not be able to trust someone like that to work with his possessions.
And how will such a person regain honor that is lost? There is nothing that he can do that could not be construed as coming from dishonorable motives.
When humans fail to honor God, how will they ever believe Him? If He is dishonored, who will come unto Him when weary and burdened, who will find rest for their souls? Because we daily sin much, we fail to honor Him as we should, and would drive people away from Him, but Jesus took our place and glorified the Father, so that in Christ people like the apostle Paul and Martin Luther are brought to love and honor the God who saved them without any merit or worthiness in them. Thanks be to God!
Preserve, O Lord, Your honor, The bold blasphemer smite;
Convince, convert, enlighten, The souls in error’s night.
Reveal Your will, dear Savior, To all who dwell below
-- O Light of all the living -- That men Your name may know.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 264:2)