To the Glory of God

A common practice for artists is to sign their name somewhere on their work. A painter or photographer might slip their autograph or initials in the corner of their finished masterpiece, and even architects have been known to sign their name in wet cement. Johann Sebastian Bach, the famous Baroque composer, always signed his music sheet when he put together a piece, but he didn’t sign his own name or initials. Instead, Bach wrote SDG, which stood for the Latin phrase soli deo gloria, or “to the glory of God alone.” 

Everything we do in life should be done to glorify God, and Him alone. Bach composed some beautiful music, but he wanted his art to bring glory to God, not to himself. When you listen to his Mass in B Minor, he wants you to think about God, not Bach. We need to have that same mentality, where things we accomplish are not for the applause of others, but as our gift to God. Even Jesus made that His mission while He ministered down here, so that on the night He was arrested He prayed, “I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do (John 17:4).”    

If Jesus lived to glorify God then so should we. In Psalm 50:15 God tells us to glorify Him when He comes through for us. Speaking on behalf of God, the psalmist Asaph wrote, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” It is easy to glorify God when He comes through for us; for the immeasurable blessings in our lives we should be quick to turn the praise towards heaven. But giving God glory isn’t reserved just for the times that we have deemed Him to have come through for us. We need to be just as quick to glorify God even when life is difficult. 

In fact, we need to give God glory in all things—good and bad. Paul wrote, “Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).” Is your life being lived in such a way that God gets glory? Do you point people to God, or do you turn them off to God with your sour attitude or sinful activities? Your life is your own masterpiece, and we must make it our aim to sign our lives SDG—to the glory of God alone.