Fasten to Glory

Melissa Logsdon – March 11, 2024 4 Comments

So much of scripture refers to the glory of God. And therefore, so many books and blogs have been written trying to explain the glory of God in a way we can grasp. I am NOT going to try to explain what many continue to try to explain. There is so much of God that is beyond our comprehension and beyond our ability to put into words.  

What I want to focus on, is what difference it can make to focus on God’s glory. How to even come close to God’s glory, and how God’s glory can make an impact. And one more thing, how in the world do we even get our focus on God’s glory.

One aspect of God’s glory is the strength that God has, the strength that Jesus models, the strength that God offers us. And therefore, the strength God offers to us…the glory God shares with us.

In Philippians 4:8b (TPT), we are admonished to “…fasten [our] thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising Him always.” 

This verse has been stuck on replay for me this month. The phrasing in The Passion Translation to “fasten your thoughts” is what I’m stuck on. It’s easy to just gloss over the verse–Think on God…how great God is…praise Him always…then life is do-able. But what if we are so stuck in our daily life that we can’t get to the praise part; we can’t get our focus on God’s glory–whatever that is!?

The image of fastening a seat belt keeps coming to my mind. How I fasten it on and then I am secure. I can’t control what may come my way as I travel down the road, but I can do my part and fasten my seat belt so I’m a little more prepared for what I might encounter. 

I’ve actually lost friends in this world that would have lived if they had only been wearing their seatbelts. The car accidents would have still happened, but fastening their seatbelts would have changed the outcome of their ability to survive the accidents. Because these losses impacted me as a teen, I’ve been a stickler on wearing a seatbelt and making sure my passengers are fastened in. Even for short trips. 

But, when it comes to the spiritual…

Well, how do I fasten my thoughts? How do I encourage others in this? Especially when we are talking about something so other as God’s glory?

Jesus says, if we’ve seen Jesus we’ve seen the Father. The Bible says Jesus reveals the glory of God. And still, it feels so “other”. Can you relate? 

In Psalms we read a possible key on how to fasten our thoughts on God’s glory–By God’s strength!  

“By Your Strength we will sing and praise Your Glorious Power” (Psalm 21:13b)

Have you ever had to help someone, maybe a small child, fasten their seatbelt? They just don’t have the strength or dexterity to do it themselves. We don’t fault them for their need for our help. We gladly help them get to the secured state for the journey. I believe God relates to us in a similar way. When I am struggling to fasten my thoughts, God can come to my aid with His strength and help me. For how else am I in my weak state going to be secured for the journey ahead? Thank God, literally, we don’t have to do this in our own strength.

And the outcome: overcoming in all things. Having the strength to conquer every difficulty. 

In Philippians 4:12-13 (TPT‬) Paul shares how this act of fastening his thoughts to God’s glory helped him through life’s journey: “I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.” 

Maybe being fastened into a focus on God’s glory–God’s strength–will make the difference in our survival of the devastations we face in life. Notice, Paul doesn’t say that he didn’t lack anything, but that he knew how to get through, even during times of lack. An internal power to endure the hard, to keep his thoughts fixed on the good in spite of the lack. And that’s what I want…the ability to endure, to overcome, to live with an internal power to win the battle in my mind in every situation. 

Maybe with God’s strength I can then go through life’s journey “Keep[ing] [my] thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. (Philippians 4:8a TPT) And be able to “…prais[e] God always.” (Philippians 4:8b)

I want to be able to focus on the good and beautiful and move to praising God. And if I can’t do this in my own strength, I might need to start with a prayer of having God help fasten me in for the journey ahead–to help me fasten my thoughts into God’s strength. So, that’s my prayer today. –Melissa Logsdon, NCF Associate Pastor