Magnify:
a) to zoom in and make something appear much larger,
b) to glorify or extol.

When I come across an interesting bug, moss or ice, my first instinct is to take a close-up picture of it. I have this fascination of seeing things in a different way, with more detail, which better portrays what it looks like and what it is made of. It’s like taking a magnifying glass to frost, which enhances it and reveals what it is made of.

This is a personal experience – to see something more intimately, and more in-depth. It not only draws our attention to the little details, but in doing so, opens our eyes to the much bigger picture: what makes this ‘thing’ so remarkable. It creates a sense of awe and wonder.

“Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.”
Psalm 34:3

Today, I want us to magnify the Lord Jesus, both by zooming in on an area of who He is, and by glorifying and extolling Him as a result of that revelation. We want Jesus’ character to become so apparent, that He is brought to light in this world, made larger than this life, and recognized as King over it.

For me, He has been my closest, best friend since childhood. He has never left me, never thought I was too sinful to forgive, never lied to me, and always has my back. He is my one true confidant that I can tell anything to, share my darkest secrets with, and He won’t betray me. He proves his faithful love on a daily basis, even when I ignore him, put others or myself before Him, or neglect our relationship. He is so worthy of my time, my devotion, and my heart!

“And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”
Romans 15:11

What area has He proven himself to you? What about Jesus is worthy of talking about? How has He loved you? How has He encouraged, been merciful, been gracious, been forgiving, been redemptive, and sacrificed for you? Was it his strong arm, his gentle heart, his eyes of compassion, his listening ear, his words of wisdom?

Take a few minutes and dwell on this thought. Then, if you are a social media person, share it with others! That is just one way of magnifying Jesus – of drawing attention to those little details that show just who our Lord is, and praise him for it!! Perhaps you could share that testimony with someone, or write it on my blog to share with other SnapInspire readers!

May each of us put the spotlight on Jesus today: on his character, his actions, and his perfect love for mankind.
May each of us magnify the Lord: for what He has done 2000 years ago, what He is doing today, and what He will do when He returns.

“Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Rev 15:4

Food for thought: To glorify is to praise or honor something or someone to an extreme degree. If you like someone, you might compliment or praise them, but glorifying takes that a step further. When someone is glorified, they are praised to the highest degree possible.

Fun facts: Magnifying glasses make objects appear larger because their convex lenses (convex means curved outward) refract or bend light rays, so that they converge or come together. A joke about a magnifying glass was traced back to 424 BC in The Clouds by Aristophanes. This means they’ve been “around” for a very long time.

Photo by: Kari Wiseman – Frosty Christmas light