“Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beingsand crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:5
The desire of man for glory is a very well known fact. It explains why sports men and women spend hours upon hours in training. It is the motivation that drives many in the corporate and political world to put in the hard work, in the hope that they might ascend the pinnacle of power. Parents leave no stone unturned, in the hope that their children may succeed since the success of a child is a crowning glory of a good parent. This desire for glory does not exist in a vacuum. Made in the image and likeness of God, our desire merely reflects who we were created to be. David tells us in Psalm 8:5 that God “crowned him [man] with glory and honor.”
However, we all know that the “glory” that often comes after much toil and hard work doesn’t often seem so glorious after all or in most cases doesn’t last. Sporting records are eventually broken, and no one remembers the previous record holders. Powerful CEOs and politicians are replaced by new ones, who in trying to cement their own legacy undermine the contributions of their predecessors. Despite the gallant efforts of parents, children may not turnout as hoped. In all of this, one thing is clear. Even though we were made for glory, our life experiences do not seem to corroborate this. Something seems to have gone wrong.
Genesis 3:1-15 tells us exactly what went wrong. In disobedience to God, our first parent fell for the lie that they could attain glory outside of their creator. Ever since then true glory has eluded man, because we became disconnected from the source of glory. In place of that, each of us try in vain to find worth in other places – career, sports, money, good deeds and the list goes on. However, it was in the midst of such gloom and darkness that God in his kindness descended 2000 years ago. In John 1:14, the apostle tells us that the eternal Son of God who is also referred to as the Word, “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
All of us have sought glory in that which is not true glory. In the process, we have distorted and projected a wrong image of the one we were made to reflect. That is a cosmic offense which deserves death. The reason why the eternal Son of God came into the world, was to show us what true glory looks like, full of grace and truth. Christmas is the time when the glory of God was put on full display through the birth of his Son Jesus Christ. God’s desire is to restore his glory in us, through our being united with him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. As you celebrate this Christmas, don’t find glory in the fanfare and the gifts. Instead, fix your gaze on the Word who became flesh, that you may find true joy and peace throughout this season and beyond. Merry Christmas!
