How can we ensure our admiration doesn't become worship, as in Job 31:26? Our Anchor Text: Job 31:26-28 “if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw them a kiss, this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.” Why Admiration Can Drift into Worship - Creation is breathtaking, and we are designed to notice beauty (Psalm 19:1). - Because the heart is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9), what begins as appreciation can quietly become devotion. - Romans 1:25 warns of people who “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.” Spotting the Crossing Point Ask yourself: - Does this person, object, or achievement occupy my thoughts more than God? - Do I seek ultimate security, identity, or joy from it? - Would losing it shake my faith or obedience? When the answer is yes, admiration has slipped into worship. Guardrails That Keep Admiration in Its Place 1. Daily Scripture Intake • The Word steadily reorients the heart to its rightful center (Psalm 119:11). 2. Intentional Praise and Thanksgiving • Direct the awe back to its Source: “Great are the works of the LORD” (Psalm 111:2). 3. Regular Self-Examination • Echo Job’s integrity checks (Job 31:1-40). 4. Confession and Quick Repentance • Confess subtle idolatry the moment it surfaces (1 John 1:9). 5. Community Accountability • Fellow believers can lovingly point out misplaced loyalties (Hebrews 10:24-25). Practical Scenarios - Career Success • Celebrate promotion, but keep praying, “Apart from You I can do nothing” (John 15:5). - Relationships • Enjoy loved ones while remembering they are gifts, not gods (James 1:17). - Technology & Entertainment • Use media as tools; schedule screen fasts to prove the heart’s freedom. - Nature & Hobbies • Pause to say aloud, “Thank You, Lord, for showing Yourself through this sunset/hobby.” Scriptures That Reinforce the Boundary - Exodus 20:3 — “You shall have no other gods before Me.” - Deuteronomy 6:13 — “Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only.” - Matthew 4:10 — “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” - Colossians 3:5 — “Put to death…idolatry, which is covetousness.” - 1 John 5:21 — “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” Living It Out - Continuously trace every good thing back to the Giver. - Keep cultivating a heart that sings, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You” (Psalm 73:25). - In doing so, admiration remains a window to God’s glory rather than a door to idolatry. |
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