Exodus 9:1-35; Psalms 25:1-7
OT: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh. Tell him: This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. For this time I am about to send all my plagues against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know there is no one like me on the whole earth. By now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague, and you would have been obliterated from the earth. However, I have let you live for this purpose: to show you my power and to make my name known on the whole earth.” (Exodus 9:13-16 CSB)
I hear this question/argument sometimes: “If God is all good and all powerful, why doesn’t he just make things happen His way – why doesn’t He just get rid of evil – why do good people go through hard and challenging times?” This message from God to Pharaoh, that He delivered through Moses, gives some insight into some of the reason why. God isn’t just concerned with getting tasks done. He is much more concerned about the transformation and growth of all the people involved than just the completion of a task. The way He brings about transformation and growth in people is by drawing them to Him – and He does that by glorifying Himself. God doesn’t bring glory to Himself and make His power and name known across the earth because He is on some sort of cosmic ego trip. He wants to demonstrate how much greater He is than all the false gods and idols, so that people from every walk of life will come to Him. He allows challenges so that people will grow their faith in Him and not be tempted to place their faith in themselves. All that He does is for the good of all involved, and at anytime, any who are involved can renounce their former ways, chose to place their faith in Him, follow Him, and glorify Him instead of worshipping themselves or a false god or idol.
Psalms: “Lord, I appeal to you. My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. No one who waits for you will be disgraced; those who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced. Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. Remember, Lord, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, Lord.” (Psalms 25:1-7 CSB)
Long before David was elevated to King of Israel, he had decided to place his trust in and follow the Lord. Many times through the psalms, we see him before the Lord asking God to make His ways known and to teach him God’s paths. For the most part, David was concerned with glorifying God in everything – and because of that God glorified him, lifted him to the status of King, and even made him a permanent participant in His plan to redeem all of mankind. God desires us to glorify Him so that He will be able to bless and glorify us, so that we will be a sign and wonder to the rest of the world, so that they will glorify Him… and He can continue the cycle of blessing through them… until the whole earth is filled with His glory being radiated through transformed and eternally blessed people.
Jamie Hicks 