An explorer uses a compass to determine the proper direction, or compass bearing, to a desired destination. At the beginning of a journey the explorer establishes the compass bearing he wants to use. As he proceeds he will look back (back-sight) to make sure where he had just traveled was in-line with the desired compass bearing before moving forward on the same heading. So throughout the journey an explorer takes a back-site then sets out forward on his compass bearing.

For us the compass bearing to reach our desired destination is the glory of God. “Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory…” (Isaiah 43:7).

Jesus lived His life using this compass bearing. In fact, when He reached the end of His earthly ministry God’s glory was the compass bearing He used to evaluate the completion of His life and ministry. “I (Jesus) glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).

The word “glory”, in the whole of scripture and in the entomology of the Greek word, means, “Thoughts, opinions and recognition (Exodus 33:18-20 and John 5:44; 12:41-43).” We are created to be sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. But like Jesus (Hebrews 1:3), in that relationship we are purposed to reflect the very thoughts and opinions, the very nature and character of our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior (Romans 8:29).

Jesus tells us that when we intentionally exercise our will to seek the glory of God in the thoughts of our hearts (Psalm 15:2), the words that we speak (Romans 10:9-10; Matthew 12:36-37) and in our actions (Matthew 5:16) the compass bearing of our lives will be true. “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18).

In this passage in the Greek New Testament the pronoun “He” and the first “Him” in are not in the text. The verse could literally read “the ‘one’ seeking the glory of the One who sent Him is true…”  In other words, when we continually seek the glory of our Heavenly Father (as He is the One who sent Jesus), we will be true in our thinking, speaking and actions. And a huge bonus is that if we continually seek His glory there is not unrighteousness in us!

Wow! That is a very powerful compass bearing for our lives. If we can continually put in our hearts to think, speak and do things that glorify (or reflect the thoughts, opinions and recognition of) God, we will have success. At the end of our lives we can say as Jesus did, “Heavenly Father I have accomplished the works that You prepared for me walk to in.” “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). If we live our lives intentionally seeking the glory of God, when it is time to back-sight the path we’ve walked we can be confident of having fulfilled our purpose and completed our journey well.

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