Made To Worship

Gifts, Abilities and Talents

I’m fairly certain that we all have things in our lives that we enjoy spending our resources – time, energy, money – on. This is level and common ground – right? 

Perhaps for you it’s a hobby such as gardening and most of your resources go towards new plants, flowers and gardening equipment. Or maybe it’s music you are drawn to. The latest piano or guitar has caught your eye and you are fervently saving up to have the best of the best.  

For me, I would have to say it is writing and I can often be found scouting for a new notebook, a new writing pen or even some organisational tool that will enable me to be more productive. 

Whatever it is, I think it’s fair to say that we have affections other than our faith in Jesus.  

The Danger of Idolatry

But what if these affections draw us off course and away from the true direction that our hearts should take? 

There is a biblical example of one who allowed his affections to be diverted from worship to idolatry. Let’s read together: 

“You were the model of perfection,
    full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
You were in Eden,
    the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—
    red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
    blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
    blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
    and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
    on the day you were created. 

(Ezekiel 28:11-13) 

Lucifer was made to worship. He was adorned with jewels and ‘exquisite in beauty’. He had all that he needed. He was given all that he needed to do all that he was called to do.  

Beauty. Wisdom. Influence. 

Let’s read on: 

I ordained and anointed you
    as the mighty angelic guardian.
You had access to the holy mountain of God
    and walked among the stones of fire. 

“You were blameless in all you did
    from the day you were created
    until the day evil was found in you. 

(v14-15) 

Access to the holy mountain of God. Lucifer had access to the very presence of God! And yet, something still wasn’t enough… 

Your rich commerce led you to violence,
    and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
    from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
    from your place among the stones of fire. 

Your heart was filled with pride
    because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
    by your love of splendour. 

(v16-17) 

Gifts and the Gift-Giver

Lucifer made the devastating mistake of worshiping what God had given him, rather than worshiping the giver. His heart filled with pride on account of the beauty God had made him with and he became corrupt because of his love of splendour, the Word tells us. 

We have all been given gifts and abilities, talents placed in our hands. 

This is a good thing and all good gifts are from the hand of God in the first place. But what happens when the gift becomes more endearing to us than the giver? 

What happens when the gift itself overtakes the gratitude we should have for the gift-giver? 

I do not write this article to condemn but rather to expose the strategy of worshipping created things rather than the Creator – idolatry as the bible would put it.  

Enough

It says in the Bible that God favours the humble but opposes the proud. (See James 4:6 NIV) 

If we would come to God with the gifts and abilities, the talents and blessings that He has placed in our hands and submit them to Him, I believe that He can use them for His glory and acclaim in a way that will draw others closer to Him. Even our hobbies and interests, when filtered through the lens of faith, can become something God can use for His glory, not ours. 

So please, have hobbies, have passions and yes, enjoy the gifts that God has given you in this life. But be sure to guard your heart against those gifts becoming the thing that you worship. We have all that we need in the power and the presence of God, the only One worthy of our praise. 

May we let that be enough.

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