God calls each of us into his kingdom and his glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12). Can these be divided? Can we have his kingdom and not his glory? Can we share in his glory and not be part of his kingdom? The two are inseparable, but we tend to think of the one apart from the other. We tend to think we can belong to his kingdom and not share in his glory.
I can think of two causes for this division in our minds. We either think we are unworthy to share in his glory therefore it must be impossible, or we don't care about God receiving glory through us. The first is partially true. We certainly are unworthy, but his glory is a gift to us. The second is an indication that we do not belong to his kingdom.
How do we share in his glory? One way is by allowing him to work through us. Knowing and experiencing his love for us though we are unworthy we are able to show his love for others who also are unworthy. When we consciously live in God's kingdom, we make choices that will reflect the holiness and righteousness of God (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
