To God be the Glory

In Daily Devotional by J.R. Hudberg

Bible Verse: “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27)

Scripture Reading: Romans 16:1-27

As we come to the end of our week, it probably goes without saying that we have left a great deal of Paul’s letter to the Romans unaddressed. Such are the constraints of a single week of devotionals on the topic. I pray that this week has been helpful in your pursuit of God through diligent engagement with Scripture.

We now come to the end of the letter. And a fitting end it is. Paul’s final words to the believers in Rome are, “…to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ.” That is the culmination of everything Paul has been driving toward.

There are many things in life that will be urgent. There are things that will call loudly and repeatedly for our attention. They will ask for our time and our energy. They will ask us for our creativity and our finances. Many things in this life will ask for our emotions and our intellect. They will scream that theirs is the supreme cause and the time is now.

Act!

However, urgent is not necessarily important. While those things may be good on their own, they do not rise to the level of significance to which Paul’s eloquence guides us at the end of his letter. As Jesus told Martha, “Only one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:42).

God, in His love, has demonstrated His power in the Gospel, which brings salvation. He has given us His Spirit to empower us to live into our salvation.

Will we now offer ourselves as a sacrifice to God so that all the glory is given to Him?

Prayer: Father, may my life bring You glory. Amen.

Reflection: What is urgent vs. what is important in your life? How do you distinguish between them and choose?


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About
J.R. Hudberg
J.R. Hudberg is a writer and executive editor for Our Daily Bread Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He has written Encounters with Jesus and Journey through Amos.
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J.R. Hudberg
J.R. Hudberg is a writer and executive editor for Our Daily Bread Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He has written Encounters with Jesus and Journey through Amos.