Motivated To Glorify Him, Evans Olang

Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”

Let me select a few people in the bible who knew God and acted on what they believed to have been God’s will.

1Samuel 17 tells us of the story of David and Goliath. We all know this story. David comes to the field and his main and only job in the field is to check on his brothers and bring them food. Watch how the Lord opens a door to glorify His name through this young man. The Philistines threatened Israelites by a reason of a giant in their team. No one in Israel could face this giant; they had forgotten that God was their giant. David shows up to find Goliath threatening and defying the armies of God, he then says vs. 26, “…who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”, vs. 37, “Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” David could only speak with boldness because he knew who God was (is). He knew what God was capable of doing, he delighted himself in the Lord and he knew the Lord would be pleased with the move. God had opened a door for him and all he needed to do was walk through it. He was in God’s will and we know what happened.

In the case of Hannah in 1Samuel 1, God had something in store for her, instead of speaking it directly to her, He allowed Penninah, her husband’s other wife to provoke her. It built such a great desire in her heart for a son. I don’t know how much she knew the Lord because year after year she prayed that God would bless her and the Lord did not. I like her spirit, she knew that having a child was acceptable therefore she couldn’t quit. The more she spent time in the presence of God, the more she learned to know Him and His ways, and the more her selfish desires for a child melted a way. This was her prayer that opened doors for her blessing, 1Samuel 1:11, “Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, …”. God showed her something and that became the desire of her heart and we know that the male child Samuel was God’s anointed prophet. God was glorified in Samuel’s work.

Then here comes Esther a slave girl. An opportunity arose and she was encouraged to step in and fill in a position for a new queen. God opened a door for her to make a difference without her even knowing. The Jews were being mistreated and something had to happen for this to stop. At one point it was about herself but listen to what her uncle tells her, Esther 4:14, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther had an opportunity to glorify God using her position to deliver her people the Jews. Isn’t it amazing that when you know God, you become sensitive to the things He is doing? I heard of a song, “God has given me a window and I can finally see the light“. I now know when God is giving me a window, it becomes clear and clearer as you get to know Him more and more.

How about Peter in Matthew 14, the man who walked on water besides Jesus. He saw Jesus walking on water, he had walked with Jesus to know what was acceptable. Jesus had said, greater works than these shall you do more so in reference to preaching, so why not do what Jesus was doing, walk on water? Peter saw an opportunity to strengthen his faith and the faith of those who were in the boat with him, he therefore said vs. 28, “…, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus”.

Time fails me to talk about others in the bible who over and over again God commends them for their initiative acts for His glory. God said, “I will write my laws in their hearts and they will know what to do without me even telling them” (paraphrased). Yes there are some that you have to clearly hear the Lord but there are some that He shows you, opens the doors and you do your part. What did the people I just shared have in common, they did it with all their heart not for themselves but unto God, Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”. And because of their humility God exalted them in due season. Their aim was to please the Lord in all that they did. They had known what He would require and God reached them with blessings, James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up”. I have applied these principles in my walk with God and God has been glorified in each step and He has lifted me up in due time. I sought for opportunities, walked through the doors God opened, did everything heartily without complaining and my motivation was to Glorify Him, He is still opening more doors to glorify Himself. Blessings Ev

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