Psa 115:1   Not to us, O LORD , not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

  

On a good day we think we've got it together. We do a job well, we express ourselves well, we achieve things we've been wanting to get done for ages, and we think, “Didn't I do well today!” If we're a teacher we taught a good class. If we're a preacher we preached a good sermon. If we were a witness, someone understood and responded. In all these times the temptation is to think, “Didn't I do well.”

 

Some of us may have built significant companies, some may have written important papers, and others may have increased output, and all of us think, “I'm a clever person!” The psalmist talked about the world who derides God, who rely upon idols. Do we rely upon the idols of money, or success, or progress, or research or achievement or intellect, do we rely upon them to give us status and reputation?

 

Do we see these things as the important things in life, the things that make us what we are, or have we realised that it is the grace and mercy of God that has either allowed us to be what we are or has made us what we are. Yes, let's not wonder too much which of those it is; let's just be grateful for who we are and what we are and let's thank God for it. Do we not realise that ultimately all life comes from Him, every good gift comes from Him (Jas 1:17). If there is glory to be given it is to Him, otherwise we need a few bad days to remind us of the truth about ourselves.