December 1st, 2023
Friday, December 1st
Worship
By: Pastor Todd
I’ve forgotten many a story I have read in my life, but The Emperor’s New Clothes, by Hans Christian Anderson, stays with me. In the final scene the king ends up marching stark naked in a parade right down main street. (If that sounds intriguing, go read it.) The first step that led to such an embarrassment is found in the opening sentence- “Many years ago, there was an Emperor, who was so excessively fond of new clothes, that he spent all his money in dress.” Translation- this guy worshiped clothes. Result- when we worship the wrong things, we prove to be fools.
The worship of lesser things will always let us down. Our favorite possession will wear out, our idolized singer will disappoint, our obsession with sex will leave us unfulfilled over time. Such is the nature of idols. They always make fools of us in the end. Meanwhile, Paul reminds us “Anyone who trusts in the Lord will never be put to shame.” (Romans 12:11 NIV) God is the exclusive one who is worthy, one to whom it is impossible to ascribe too much worship or too high an estimation of his value.
The number of potential idols is more than we can count. Whatever we might look to provide our sense of well-being, fulfillment, or ultimate joy is an idol. In time it will fall so far short. Because God is unseen, worshiping him is viewed by those with lesser loves as foolish. Through the years, and ultimately through the untold ages of eternity, it will be proved over and over that God alone was worthy of all the honor, adoration and confidence. All other lesser worship is foolish and evil.
This Christmas join with the angels, shepherds, and wisemen in worshiping Jesus only. Keep everything else in proper perspective. Otherwise, we might just find ourselves as foolish as a naked king in front of his whole kingdom.
Worship
By: Pastor Todd
I’ve forgotten many a story I have read in my life, but The Emperor’s New Clothes, by Hans Christian Anderson, stays with me. In the final scene the king ends up marching stark naked in a parade right down main street. (If that sounds intriguing, go read it.) The first step that led to such an embarrassment is found in the opening sentence- “Many years ago, there was an Emperor, who was so excessively fond of new clothes, that he spent all his money in dress.” Translation- this guy worshiped clothes. Result- when we worship the wrong things, we prove to be fools.
The worship of lesser things will always let us down. Our favorite possession will wear out, our idolized singer will disappoint, our obsession with sex will leave us unfulfilled over time. Such is the nature of idols. They always make fools of us in the end. Meanwhile, Paul reminds us “Anyone who trusts in the Lord will never be put to shame.” (Romans 12:11 NIV) God is the exclusive one who is worthy, one to whom it is impossible to ascribe too much worship or too high an estimation of his value.
The number of potential idols is more than we can count. Whatever we might look to provide our sense of well-being, fulfillment, or ultimate joy is an idol. In time it will fall so far short. Because God is unseen, worshiping him is viewed by those with lesser loves as foolish. Through the years, and ultimately through the untold ages of eternity, it will be proved over and over that God alone was worthy of all the honor, adoration and confidence. All other lesser worship is foolish and evil.
This Christmas join with the angels, shepherds, and wisemen in worshiping Jesus only. Keep everything else in proper perspective. Otherwise, we might just find ourselves as foolish as a naked king in front of his whole kingdom.
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