Description

The Glory of Living by Myles Munroe ebook

Glory is the goal of life. There is no greater purpose in life than to expose your personal glory. It is a fact of creation that every living thing possesses its own glory and exists for the purpose of manifesting that glory.

If the greatest tragedy in life is not death but life without a purpose, then the greatest shame in life is not revealing your true glory. The cemeteries of earth are filled with the glory of many who failed to access their true selves, and left the earth without ever showing their real worth. The question is: Why do so many individuals live an entire life never experiencing the glory of their lives, while others live to taste the glory of a full and fulfilled life?

A few days ago I stood on the beautiful sandy beaches of the Bahamas and watched the graceful flight of the sea gulls on the current of the sea breezes. What elegance! I thought. Turning to my wife I said, “Look at that bird in its glory.” Suddenly I realized I had just summed up all of life. Like that bird, we must all strive to “be in our glory.” Have you ever observed a giant cedar tree, and the majestic beauty of a royal oak tree? At full strength we say they are in their glory. The seeds of these great trees hid their glory and concealed their full weight. The same is true of the musician who writes and produces music. The work is his glory.

I believe that this issue of glory is the most important aspect of creation and that it holds the key to fulfillment and personal satisfaction. The word glory in its fundamental meaning connotes such concepts as “full weight,” “true nature,” “full essence” or “true reality.” Therefore, the glory of a thing is its true essence and nature. The Creator designed all things with their glory, or true essence, buried within. Therefore glory is the hidden truth of all created things. The purpose of life is to manifest that glory.

You and every one of the people on this planet are walking containers of glory, and it is the Creator’s desire that each one release that full glory and fill the earth with the glory of their Manufacturer. Yet the question is: How do you accomplish this? I wrote this book to provide you with keys and principles to assist you. It is my hope and desire that you will truly tap into your hidden glory and fill your generation with the fragrance of your life. May the following pages stir in your spirit the inspiration, motivation, and passion to complete your God-given purpose, and to move daily from glory to glory to glory.

 

Introduction

He was a stately figure in the winner’s circle, his bulging muscles shining in the midday sun with the sweat of a hard run race. The crowd cheered as the wreath of beautiful roses was placed around his powerful neck. His rider sat up straight to pose for the camera and to receive the coveted trophy at the envy of the losers. It was a proud moment. After many years of careful development, grooming, training, and practice, the stallion stood there in his full glory.

The scene has been repeated thousands of times in life. The moment when creation stands in its full bloom, be it a flower, a bird, a butterfly or a great white shark, we experience their moment of glory. This glory exists in everything and everyone. Every animal, plant, star, and human being possesses glory consistent with their purpose for being. Even the Creator Himself is said to be full of glory.

Each year thousands travel to the ancient city of Rome to visit historical sites frozen in time. One of the most sought-out sites is the Sistine Chapel. Tourists come by the busloads to look at and photograph the work of the great master Michelangelo. The masterpiece painted on the ceiling of this revered chapel has become one of the great wonders of the world and serves as a standard for developing artists. What is this work that generates so much attention and pride? It is simply the glory of a man. It is the manifestation of the hidden glory of the artist. In other words, Michelangelo filled the earth with his glory and left the essence of his life and nature in the earth.

Many people walk around with their masterpiece in their minds, buried under wishful thinking, procrastination, fear, excuses, and intimidation. What a tragedy! Suppose Michelangelo had died with these works of art in his mind. What a waste that would have been! He worshiped with his work, manifesting his glory in his generation and ours.

As I look at the creation around me I see glory everywhere. The seed exposes its glory as a tree, the caterpillar as a butterfly, the eaglet as an eagle, the boy as a man, and the girl as a woman. I am reminded of the great basketball player, Michael Jordan, whose high school coach said that he would never play basketball as a pro. Yet Michael believed the dream he carried and worked at developing and perfecting his game. Today he stands as an athletic icon for millions. To see him on the court is to see him in his true glory. His gift from God is his athletic ability. Others may have the hidden glory of music, art, writing, baking, acting, designing, or managing. Whatever your gift and talent, that is your glory and it was given to fill the earth.

God the Creator is a God of glory who created everything to expose His glory. Glory is the full manifestation of your purpose, which is your true self. However, just as a fish needs water, and a seed needs soil to bring forth its full glory, even so you and I need the right environment to manifest our true nature. Glory is released when the conditions are right and demands are made on it. Glory is the true essence of a thing and is self-manifestation. As the destruction of a seed is the death of a tree, so the suppression or retardation of human potential is the destruction of glory.

Every invention is the manifestation of someone’s glory. The telephone is the glory of Alexander Graham Bell. The television, the toaster, the video machine, the car, the computer—all are the manifestation of someone’s glory. I wonder what great invention, work of art, ministry, product, or business lies as untapped glory within you? I challenge you to not take your glory to the cemetery, but rather to manifest it before you die.

This book itself is a part of my manifested glory; there are many more waiting to be released. It is my desire to release all of my glory and share it around the world. It is my hope that you also will dedicate yourself to glorifying the Creator by working out your glory for His honor.

For many people the word glory is not a practical concept, but rather a nebulous metaphysical idea reserved for the intangible. In the religious domain it has been ascribed in worship only to God— as His inherent attribute alone.

But the concept of glory is practical and relevant not only to God but to all of His creation. David the great king of Israel declared, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Ps. 19:1).

Glory is the manifestation of one’s nature through one’s work. In essence, when we use our gifts and talents to realize visions and dreams given by the Creator, we are manifesting our glory.

You are created to glorify your Creator through the productivity of your works. Therefore, glorifying God is not limited to praising Him, but rather to putting your hand to productive, wholesome, and positive work. It is interesting that one of the foundational meanings of the word worship is “to work.” It is time for us to realize that all men possess glory and have this hidden treasure of their Creator crying out for exposure. It is my belief that the Creator desires all men everywhere, male and female, to manifest their glory. Only He has the ultimate prescription for its full release. I dare you to move to the next level of your life and decide to go from glory to glory. You owe it to yourself and your Creator. Let men see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven (see Matt. 5:16).