2 Corinthians 10 (6)

Pray Psalm 48.1-3.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.

Sing Psalm 48.1-3.
(Cwm Rhondda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Great is God, now greatly praise Him in the city of the LORD!
Holy she, His lovely mountain, great and glorious by His Word!
God her King is great within her, He, her Stronghold ever sure!
He, her Stronghold ever sure!

Read 2 Corinthians 10.1-18; meditate on verses 17, 18.

Prepare
1. How should we glory?

2. Whose commendation should we seek?

Meditation
We boast about and glory in ourselves in subtle ways. Taking credit for this or that. Talking about ourselves and our humility. Comparing ourselves favorably with others. Hanging our awards on the wall. Making every effort to have the last word on a matter. Snubbing this person, fawning over that one. All such boasting is sin.

This is not to deny that there is much that is boast-worthy in our lives, at least, as some might see us. But we remember Paul in 1 Corinthians 4 reminding us that all that we have has come to us from the Lord. Why do we boast about these things, as if we had acquired or achieved them on our own?

The church-dividers in Corinth boasted in themselves. This was part of how they achieved their following. They were not content to stay in their own lane of ministry but were always seeking to hijack believers from other camps. The Corinthians went along with this and in so doing, did a little boasting of their own (“I am of Paul!” “I am of Apollos!” “I am of Cephas!”). All such boasting is sin. It divides churches (Do you wonder why there are 35,000 Protestant denominations in the world?).

Boasting in ourselves and our tribe comes easily. And sinfully. Do we even know how to boast in the Lord? The LORD Himself tells us:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD. (Jer. 9.23, 24

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Because we are human, sinful, and confused, we sometimes think in convoluted ways.
We might be tempted to think we had accomplished something grand, when really the strength, fortitude, and wherewithal came from God—often through the grace of other people.

We might be ever so slightly tempted to even glory in ourselves over…you name it. Anything. And we would be wrong to do so.
God rightly affirms our wrongness: “Surely you have things turned around!” (See what I mean?)
“Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; for shall the thing made say of him who made it, ‘He did not make me?’ Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding?’” (Is. 29.16). Um. No.

So why would we ever think to praise or glory in ourselves over anything?
Talk about veering egregiously out of our lane?

“But now, O LORD, You are our Father;
we are the clay, and You our potter;
and all we are the work of Your hand” (Is. 64.8).

Let us “glory in the LORD”! (2 Cor. 10.17).

Everything that we are and have comes from God. We are sustained in and by Him.
We are “like a tree planted by the rivers of water” (Ps. 1.3).
“For in Him we live and move and have our being…” (Acts 17.28).
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD’” (1 Cor. 1.30, 31).

Job, after all his suffering and questioning and experiences, came to this conclusion:
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.
Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42.5, 6).

He could very easily have patted himself on the back and rejoiced in his mighty survival skills; but instead, he was humbled by God’s greatness and praised His glorious Name.

He rightly gloried in the LORD.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou are the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
(Adelaide A. Pollard, 1902)

For reflection
1. Think back to ways the grace of God reached you or used you yesterday. Give Him specific thanks and praise.

2. How do you need His grace to reach and use you today? Call on Him specifically for mercy and grace for all your times of need.

3. Will you have an opportunity with another believer today to glory in the Lord together? How should you prepare for this now?

Therefore, instead of praising ourselves, we should strive to approve ourselves to God. In a word, let us glory in the Lord our salvation, and in all other things only as evidences of his love, or means of promoting his glory. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 2 Corinthians 10.12-18

Pray Psalm 48.4-14.
Pray that God will glorify Himself in your life, by the words and deeds with which you serve Him today. Pray for specific situations and opportunities, that your manner might speak of heavenly matters to the people around you.

Sing Psalm 48.4-14.
(Cwm Rhondda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Earthly kings, amazed and wond’ring, look upon the Church with fear.
See them flee in dread and anguish, knowing that the LORD is near.
For the city of the Savior God will keep forevermore!
God will keep forevermore!

For Your grace and lovingkindness we proclaim Your matchless worth!
As Your Name is, great and boundless, let Your praise fill all the earth.
Let Your people sing rejoicing for the judgment of Your truth;
for the judgment of Your truth.

Walk about the blessèd city, see her beauty, see her power.
Count her ramparts, filled with glory, look on every mighty tower.
Tell her glory to the nations: God will guide her evermore;
God will guide her evermore!

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help you see both the greatness and the smallness of God’s salvation. Such a Great Salvation and Small Stuff will show you how to think small, live big, and know the salvation and glory of God in all your daily life. You can learn more about these books and order your copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.