My family enjoys baseball, and recently our grandparents blessed us with the opportunity to go to a game. We were excited and decided to go early and try to get some autographs from the players. After waiting for over an hour and a half we realized that maybe one of the players was going to give autographs, and because of the amount of people who wanted signatures, we were not going to be successful in our venture. Somewhat disappointed, we went up to our seats and enjoyed the game, cheering for our team, and greatly desirous of their victory. In spite of their valiant effort, our team lost the game.
That evening I reflected on why I was so disappointed, and realized that I had been focusing on the importance I would feel if I had met a baseball player, and setting high expectations on someone else's performance, and when they had failed to reach that level I was upset.
In this same way we can set expectations and hopes on particular authors or their books, and when they fail and fall, we can wonder how they could do such a thing.
While there is nothing wrong with admiring an author or baseball player, or even wanting an autograph from either of them, there is a problem when we elevate them and look to them for all of our "guidance". When we do this, we are worshipping someone or something other that God, which is what He warns against in Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before me." (ESV)
In our own strength we cannot obey this command, but we have hope because Jesus has promised us a Helper! "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17, ESV) If we rely on His strength, we will be able to glorify Him for His work in us and worship Him alone!
This is not an easy task, but let us press on to worship and glorify God alone and praise Him all the days of our lives!
~paisley
That evening I reflected on why I was so disappointed, and realized that I had been focusing on the importance I would feel if I had met a baseball player, and setting high expectations on someone else's performance, and when they had failed to reach that level I was upset.
In this same way we can set expectations and hopes on particular authors or their books, and when they fail and fall, we can wonder how they could do such a thing.
While there is nothing wrong with admiring an author or baseball player, or even wanting an autograph from either of them, there is a problem when we elevate them and look to them for all of our "guidance". When we do this, we are worshipping someone or something other that God, which is what He warns against in Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before me." (ESV)
In our own strength we cannot obey this command, but we have hope because Jesus has promised us a Helper! "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17, ESV) If we rely on His strength, we will be able to glorify Him for His work in us and worship Him alone!
This is not an easy task, but let us press on to worship and glorify God alone and praise Him all the days of our lives!
~paisley