[Friday's Devotional] - Now to Him who is able

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1: 24-25 [NIV]

Simon Ponsonby starts the last chapter of the book with Jude's doxology. He notes that only three New Testament letters end with praise, the others being Romans and 2 Peter. This isn't because worship is of little importance to the New Testament writers. No, Jude is ending on a high note of praise as praise is the most important thing for him. Whatever else needs to be done or said, we finish with worship. Here's why. With the words 'Now to him' Jude is calling the church back to its central purpose of praising and worshipping God. It is a call to worship right here and right now. It is a command to orientate a life in worship to God. Jude's letter addresses and corrects a crisis in the church he is writing to. People have been deceived by false teachers offering false doctrine. The greatest safeguard against deception is by dwelling in the now to him.

Some years ago I was given the present of a pleasure flight on a Dakota (old passenger aircraft). After we had safely landed the aircraft was towed away to the hangar for mechanical inspection. Apparently, unknown to us, one of the wheel brakes had failed on landing. I spoke to the pilot about what had happened as a tractor towed the plane away. His words were along the lines of, it's only a small problem, but if you keep everything right you won't go far wrong. The same is true for our worship lives. If we keep focused on Jesus and keep responding to him in worship, we won't go far wrong. So it's all about Jesus. It's all about God. If we focus ourselves on God and not on ourselves we won't go wrong.

The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson asked the question in one of his sermons, what is the chief end of man? Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

Now that is something to look forward to.

Today's hyperlink is a little foretaste of heavenly worship. Play it and worship as you sing.

Crown him with many crowns.

John Martin-Jones