Daily Devotion

“Their excellency and happiness is nothing, but the emanation and expression of God's glory: God, in seeking their glory and happiness, seeks himself: and in seeking himself, i.e. himself diffused and expressed, (which he delights in, as he delights in his own beauty and fullness,) he seeks their glory and happiness.”

Jonathan Edwards · The End for Which God Created the World, ch. 1, sect. 4

Scripture

Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.”

Reflection

The ultimate purpose of God's creation is the manifestation of His own glory, and that very manifestation includes the excellency and happiness of His creatures. When I pursue happiness, success, or recognition, if it is separated from God's glory, I ultimately feel empty. Only by aligning my heart with God's glory can I find true joy in obedience and reverence. God's glory and human happiness are not in conflict, but are perfectly integrated in trust and dependence on Him. This reminds me to dedicate every aspect of my life to Him every day.