In Mark13:1, as Jesus came out of the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him: “What wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings”. But Jesus answered him in :2, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” As we so often do, Jesus’ disciples had their eyes focused on the wrong things: the glory of the temple; the great stones and impressive buildings. But all the things they saw — all those things they gloried in — were about to be destroyed. Their glory was misplaced.

And many of us would have to admit that we are just like them: we glory in the wrong things. We get excited about things which are temporary; things which will soon be destroyed or torn down. We glory in nice homes, or a shiny new car, in the amount of money we have in the bank, over a trophy or award or “prestigious position” or the recognition of men — all of which are fleeting. Even as churches we often misplace our glory, relishing an increase in “numbers” of attendees or the quality of our buildings or the recognition of human organizations — things which have no eternal value. Of so many things that we glory in, it can be said just as Jesus did of the Temple buildings: “Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” We need to remember that there is no lasting security or glory in anything but God, whose glory is eternal. But is it? Where is your glory?