Just what are we saying when we say, “give Him glory?” What does glory mean? I am reading a book that was given to me by a wonderful woman of God, written by Dutch Sheets, titled “God’s Timing for Your Life.” May I say it is a small, but wonderful book. As I was reading, Mr. Sheets spoke about giving glory to God.

The Greek word for glory is doxa, which has the same connotation as recognition. So giving glory to God is simply but profoundly recognizing Him for who He is and allowing Him to be recognized in and through us.

Now this statement was so simple, but yet, for me, so profound. Maybe you have grasped the realization of giving Him glory, but for me, I had some understanding, but reading this has caused a deeper understanding. It has caused a light to go off and become the light to my pathway of getting closer to Him. Let me show you where it has taken me.

In Joshua 7:19 it says, “now Joshua said to Achan, ‘my son I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession to him and tell me now what you have done, do not hide it from me.’” Joshua is telling him to recognize God. Recognize it is God and not those in the camp that he has sinned against. Achan disobeyed God’s orders when they defeated the city of Jericho they were instructed to take nothing. Achan disobeyed God’s orders and took of the accursed thing and hid it amongst his stuff. When I confess my sin and ask for forgiveness I give Him the glory, for I recognize that it is God whom I have sinned against.

Let’s look in first Samuel and see what happen when the Philistines took the Ark of the Lord. They stole the Ark of the Lord and tried to put it among their gods. Read I Samuel and see what happened. But what we want to look at today is chapter 6 where we find the Philistines are suffering because they have taken what does not belong to them. Some of them have died and those that have not died have been stricken with tumors. They now begin to cry out to the priest and ask how shall we send back the Ark? The priest instructs them not to send it back empty but fill it with a trespass offering and maybe God will heal them.

In verse five of chapter six, the Philistines are told, “therefore you shall make images of your tumors and of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel………..” In other words you will recognize that God is superior to any of your gods.

We give God glory when we recognize Him as the author of the miracles that occur in our lives. They may have come through the hand of a doctor, through medication and through the laying on of hands. But the glory belongs to God. The recognition for the miracle belongs to God.

In John 9:24 the young man that was blind and has been healed by Jesus is being questioned by the Jews in the synagogue as to who has performed this healing. “So they again called the man who was blind and said to him give God the glory. We know this man is a sinner.” They were telling him to recognize God as the healer not this man (Jesus) who they called a sinner. Oh how foolish and deceived they were, not knowing that this man, as they called him was God in the flesh.

You say so what are you saying preacher? I’m saying giving God the glory is not just done in the sanctuary with hands lifted up and a sweet expression on our face, as we sing and tell Him how much we love Him. But giving Him the glory is when we walk in obedience to his commands, it is when we stand tall and no matter what someone may think we acknowledge God as the only true and living God. Giving Him the glory is when we recognize without God there are no miracles; there is no healing.

But most important we give God glory when He is recognized in our lives. Jesus said in John 15:8, “by this is my Father glorified (or recognized) that you bear much fruit: so you will be my disciples.” When we walk up right before men and obey the word of God, and treat our fellow man right, love our neighbor as ourself God is given glory, because those who knew us before salvation can say look what the Lord has done.

Is God getting any glory out of your life? Can He be recognized without you telling someone or without you carrying a big bible and wearing a big cross? Give Him glory.

God bless.