“Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
John 12:28 (ESV)
Father, as I reflect upon this verse in this Christmas season, immediately my spirit cries out, “Amen, amen, amen!” It is not lost on me that You audibly answered my Savior’s request for You to glorify Yourself by declaring You had, past tense, and You would again, future tense. And You said it for those around Jesus to hear!
At that moment, just looking at the events that were unfolding before that audience, You truly did glorify Yourself. Standing before them was the perfect Son of God, God incarnate, their Creator, in the flesh! That alone is glorious! But beyond that, before them stood the Lamb Who would take away the sins of the world! And in that one glorious act He would redeem all of mankind! And that was going to happen in the very near future! Wow!
Christmas is a reminder of the already/not yet aspect of my redemption story. In that act of love You set in motion the sure salvific plan that all of human history pointed towards as chronicled in Your Word. In Him is the “already” fulfillment of every promise You have made and the down payment of the “not yet”, which is still to come. Because You made good on what You said You would do as seen in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we can be assured that You will finish what You started! And that is a glorifying to YOU! Hallelujah!
So today, I praise and magnify Your Name. I lift You up, declaring to the world that there is no one like my God! I glorify You for You are great, awesome, magnificent, and all-together wonderful! Your ways are beyond my understanding; Your thoughts beyond my comprehension. You amaze me, LORD, and my soul looks forward, with glowing anticipation, on that day when I will see my Savior return for me, and glorify Yourself in the presence of all the world! Like my brother John, my soul cries out, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” Be glorified! Amen!