Corona Devo 3319


Even when we are impressed (or intimidated!) by the faith of someone--We must not worship/idolize/epitomize/or be-enamored-by them. 

It is natural for this to happen...because we are mortal and human.

It is natural for us to fall-under-this-"spell"...because we are sinful.  Our flesh and our mind naturally tend to want to worship what is near...and what is now.  We get impressed---and we fall to our knees, sometimes physically, and sometimes emotionally or even intellectually---to bow before whatever or whoever is enamoring us (for any number of reasons).

We might worship things other than God with our time: We scroll, and we fall prey to worshiping people and trends online.  

We might (even accidentally or subconsciously) worship people: We imagine that someone has it all together, (by worldly terms or by our faith-definitions).  And so--for any number of reasons, and in any variety of ways--we worship them. 

But our Lord (alone!) demands (and deserves!) our sole allegiance and worship.  

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

(4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 

(5) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God...  ~Exodus 20:3-5

John was exiled on the island of Patmos.  No one was around, but then an angel was, and the angel opened John's eyes to visions of Heaven and the grandeur of God that is-to-come.  (Revelation 22:1-4).  

The vision (glimpse!) that the angel-of-God gave to John was beautiful, amazing, full, and inviting.  Hearing about Heaven and the epitome-of-God from the angel caused John to react by falling down at the feet of the angel who was delivering the message.  

The apostle John knew better than to fall (and worship!) at the angel's feet, but he knelt anyway.  

We do it too.  

But we know better too.

And if we didn't know better than to give our heart and focus and praise to anything other than the Lord, then God reminds us through his Holy Word today.

It is not people or even angels that we are to worship.  Don't be tempted to idolize someone even if that someone seems holy, devout, righteous, and God fearing.  (Good for them(!), and we can learn from them...may we be reminded and taught and disciplined today about where (Who!) our true worship should always honor: the Lord.

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” 

(8) I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. (9) But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”  ~Revelation 22:7-9

~~~

The Bible is holding an investigation/probe/and inspection into our heart today: Are we worshiping anyone we shouldn't be?  Admiring?  Glorifying?  Following?  Coveting?  Elevating?  Worshiping. 

“Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”  ~Revelation 22:9

Worship only God!   

Sometimes we get off track.  Sometimes we don't even mean to be watching/yearning/idolizing/and worshiping someone other than our Lord...but it happens.

God knows that. 
And God forgives that.  
But God is also acknowledging that in our lives today--and He uses His Word to turn us away from worshiping anything that is not Him.    

But he said to me, “Don’t do that!... Worship God!”  ~Revelation 22:9

And so we receive your reminder today, Lord.  

Let's not be tricked or duped into paying homage/attention/time/or ourselves into anything that is not God.  Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only today.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. (9) “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 

(10) Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”  ~Matthew 4:8-10

~~~

Even when we are impressed (or intimidated!) by the faith of someone--We must not worship/idolize/epitomize/or be-enamored-by them.  

We know better than to fall (and worship!) at anyone/anything else's feet.  

Let's stop kneeling for just anything, and let's (spiritually/emotionally/figuratively/intellectually/literally) kneel before God alone.

  • ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”  ~Matthew 4:10
  • But he said to me, “Don’t do that!... Worship God!”  ~Revelation 22:9
  • Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  ~Exodus 20:3 
Blessings,





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