Four ministers argued often, and three of them always agreed against the fourth. One day, the odd minister out, after the usual "3 to 1 majority rules,” decided to appeal to a higher authority. "Oh, Lord!" he cried. "Please send a sign to prove that I’m right!"
It was a sunny day, but a cloud suddenly moved across the sky. It rumbled once and dissolved.
“See, I'm right!" the preacher cried. But the others insisted that clouds often form on hot days.
The minister prayed again: "Oh, God, please send a bigger sign to show that I’m right."
Four storm clouds rushed together, and a bolt of lightning slammed into a tree on a
nearby hill. "I told you!" cried the minister, but his friends still insisted that all that could be explained by natural causes.
Just as the minister began to ask for an even bigger sign, the sky turned black, the earth shook, and a deep voice boomed, "HEEEEEEEE'S RIIIIIIIGHT!"
Hands on hips, the minister turned to the others, and said, "Well?!"
"So," shrugged one, "now it's 3 to 2."
Does is seem absurd to count votes against God? He should trump all else. His is the final word. We realize that intellectually. Actually submitting to him, however, may be a wee bit more difficult.
But, that’s actually what it means to worship God - to bow our hearts in submission to his will. Webster defines worship as: “extravagant respect” or “to reverence as a divine being.”
In the New Testament text, the word most often translated as worship is a word that refers to bowing down. Sometimes that’s in a religious sense (as when, after Jesus walked on water, “those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God” in Matthew 14:33). But sometimes it’s in a more secular sense (a “servant fell on his knees” before the king in Matthew 18:26).
The point is that to worship God involves far more than singing praises on Sunday. Worship is a life that bows to his will in every facet, from doing our best work on the job to treating the waitress at the restaurant with courtesy and respect.
God, as our creator, sustainer, and savior, has the right to demand our obedience in every part of life. That’s what he means when he calls us to worship him. And, Heeeee’s Riiiight!