Galatians 6:14-15 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (15) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
"But God forbid that I should glory...." What does that word,
glory, mean? If I could define it in a nutshell, it means to draw attention to
myself. For some of us, we can remember in our childhood days seeing a
bright light that moved around in the sky. We knew when we saw it that a new
business had opened or some business was having a big sale. The spotlights
would swirl around in the night sky when a new movie previewed. I remember the
big light at the airport that would go around in circles to alert the planes of
the location of the airport. Yes, I know I am showing my age now. But my point
is those lights would draw attention to some place or event that was taking
place. Paul said he had nothing that would draw attention to himself,
except the "cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
There are many things in life in which we might attempt to glory. I might try
to glory in my success or I may try to glory, or draw attention, to my defeats.
I might attempt to draw attention to my strengths or to my weaknesses.
The Word of God tells me that I have nothing in which to glory other than the
love of God that is so great towards me that He gave His only begotten Son to
die for my sins. It was on that old rugged cross that my Lord showed His love
for me by laying down His life. His blood washed my sins away and through that
shed blood, I have been made a new creature. So, how am I able to
"glory" (draw attention) in the cross of my Lord? Is it not by living
that new life in which the Holy Spirit has made me spiritually alive? I want my
life to show the proof of God's love for me by growing those fruits of the
spirit that are listed in Galatians chapter 5. I want to show "love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance."
I pray for God's help in drawing more attention to my Lord than to
myself.