Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1 NIV
In the pursuit of true religion, we must guard against the temptation to seek our own honour. When our prayers are answered, we may be tempted to take pride in our own ability to pray effectively. Even in the noble task of preaching the Gospel, it is possible for a small part of our motivation to be tainted by a desire for personal recognition or influence over others. This subtle mixture of motives can infiltrate the depths of our souls if we are not vigilant. Let us rise up against this insidious evil with all our might. We must learn to say, “Not to us, Lord, not to us”. Therefore, let “Glory be to God” resound as the unwavering motto of every believer.
As we reflect on the many reasons why the Lord is worthy of our praise, let us humbly unite in giving Him the glory, honour, and praise that He deserves. May we recognize that our existence is not by our own power or wisdom, and it is not our eloquence that secures answers to our prayers. Rather, we owe everything to the mercy and grace of God.
Lord, you are the one who deserves that people praise you. They should praise only you, not us! Because you love us with a special love, and you always do what you have promised.
Psalms 115:1 EASY
Our Lord Jesus Christ, even during His earthly ministry, always ensured that the Father received all the glory. He lived and continues to live to bring glory to the Father (John 17:4, 14:13). This is evident in His prayer as well (John 11:41-42).
Meanwhile, there are times, in our prayers, when we are to make this powerful plea: “Not unto us.” Moments when this plea is the only one suitable for God’s people. In such dark experiences, we cannot find a specific reason why God should bless or deliver us, except for one: that He would do it to glorify His own name. Despite our own wickedness, our sinfulness can even become our plea, that God’s mercy and lovingkindness may shine even more brilliantly through our awareness of our guilt.
Our Lord and God! You are worthy to receive glory and honour and power. You made all things. Everything existed and was made because you wanted it.
Revelation 4:11 ERV
As believers, we must ensure that our lives always bring glory to God in and through everything that we do. So, we must always live with the realisation that we exist for His glory. Likewise, we must remember that God will not allow anyone to ridicule His name; He will not share His glory with anyone. Therefore, He says in Isaiah 42:8 (ERV): “I am YAHWEH. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another. I will not let statues take the praise that should be mine.”
