Getting Higher

Higher is a series about the glory of God. The series was born out of my struggle with how we (CCCC) appealed to people’s lower motivations to encourage them in following Christ. For example, when encouraging people to serve, we explained, “Serving helps you grow.” But is serving others primarily about growing? “Community is the best atmosphere for personal growth,” we say. And I believe the statement is true, but is that the reason we should live in community? The questions sent me on a journey of meditation and Bible study that resulted in this series. Intuitively, I knew that we serve and live in community and give and share our faith for reasons grander than ourselves, and I knew that the ultimate reason is the glory of God. But what does that mean? I’ll unpack my thoughts in Higher.

Two voices were powerful in the journey. John Piper wrote Desiring God. I read the book five years ago, but the message resonates with me still. The first two chapters include foundational thoughts that have made their way into the series. Listen to Piper’s thoughts (below) about how God does everything for his own glory.

The other dominant voice in the journey is Tim Keller. My small group is studying Gospel Christianity, a Bible Study written by Tim Keller. His thoughts on the glory of God were the most compelling influence for my renewed awareness that God’s glory is the ultimate end in the universe.

These messages might be a little more “heady.” Understanding glory is elusive, mysterious and spiritual sounding. But somehow I know that if we “get it” regarding God’s glory, we will see everything else about God more clearly. If we see God more clearly, the rest of our life is a piece of cake.

Don’t wimp out on me. This is the good stuff.