Into the Fire

“To elevate in position, to praise, to honor, to extol, to glorify” Exalt.

So many times we see this done to human beings. To actors, to athletes, to philanthropists, pastors, leaders, and, yes, even to authors. While many individuals are worthy of recognition or to be commended for what they’ve achieved, it’s ludicrous to exalt any of them.

We are recipients of a perfect grace, a word or action that defies a perfect definition. It’s as if the One who provides that illusive definition is also the only One who supernaturally extends it when we least suspect it should be or expect it will be.

Human beings are gifted. The most handicapped individual has been gifted by the Creator. We struggle to see it because our measuring levels are perverted by our natural and corrupted vision. Our values without His renewal see and assess people, places, and things based on our opinions of beauty, but we live in a defiled world, rotting from sin infection. We in our unregenerate selves are incapable of recognizing true beauty.

The very fact that God looks upon the hearts of people is an indication of his ability to penetrate the cover of outward appearance, He being the designer of all and being no respecter of one over another. The very creation of an individual is His joy. He treasures us all. Something we cannot understand.

When you sit before your keyboard or write with your favorite pen or pencil, remember the true Author of life. Be it another baby formed in the womb or the words labored over to capture the moment, He is the Creator of creation. If you have the ability to write, He gave it to you.

Exaltation belongs to God. Jesus Christ gave His life, taking the sin of the world to the grave, rising to give life to all who’ll accept His gift, and then sending the Holy Spirit to supernaturally take up residence in the part of us which will remain eternal. No one else can save us from our doom in death. Only God, only Jesus, only the Holy Spirit. There is where the exalting needs to be. That He even wants to bother with us is amazing enough. But He does. Until one day when all the warnings have been issued, the alarms sounded, the Truth foretold and told again for the umpteenth time . . . then it won’t be available any longer, grace will not be extended freely, and evil will swamp the earth before it is defeated.

Father, we exalt you! You are the Author of life, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Name above all names. We honor you, praise you, and glorify your Name. Thank you, Jesus. May we worship you in Spirit and in Truth.