In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He called himself “the Great” and made certain his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral be dimly lit with a big, bright candle set above his coffin to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial service, Bishop Massillon began to speak, slowly reached down and snuffed out the candle, and said, “Only God is great.” And he was exactly right! Only God is great! King Louis XIV forgot that truth. He’s not alone. 

The devil is so good at drawing our attention to those who fail God more than we do. When that’s our focus, we develop a false sense of spiritual security. The devil is a pro at getting us to self-inflate our accomplishments and faithful living. “I’m better than I used to be.” When that becomes our focus, Jesus isn’t.  

The apostle Paul warned the Romans about the devil’s tricks, saying, “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law” (Romans 3:20). Our best isn’t good enough. Bishop Massillon was right. Only God is great.

The beautiful truth of God’s Word is that Christ’s greatness, his perfection, is ours through faith. This life is not about making your mark like King Louis XIV; it’s about trusting Jesus’ hands, feet, and side are marked by his eternity-changing love for you. Trusting the power of Jesus’ love, that’s truly great!