January 8, 2008

Recently in a discussion with teens. Someone said "I don't think God expects us to worship him, just acknowledge that He is there."
It got me to thinking. What is the difference between God commanding and or expecting us to worship Him and another person expecting to be praised or worshipped. Why is it arrogant for a person but not for God? And, how do I explain this to a teenager who does not really spend a lot of time getting to know God.
I don't think it is difficult to explain to a teen that God is worthy of praise and other humans are not. The hard part was explaining why it wasn't arrogant for God to command us to worship Him. I know for me this means I have to be able to explain it in a simple metaphor or parable.
I played bible roulette and it opened to John 5:19. As I read on it struck me how much Jesus said I am only doing what the Father wants me to do. It was His purpose for His time here. Then I prayed and the answer came to me immediately as though He whispered it in my ear.
We were made to worship Him! It is our purpose.
If I were to create something, like say a rubber ball, and after creating it I tried to bounce it and it did not bounce, I would have every reason to destroy that ball. I created it out of bouncy material, I shaped it like a ball, and for some reason it refuses to bounce. It has some sort of free will that makes it choose not to be bouncy. I would not be arrogant at all to expect this thing to bounce. It is what it was made for.
On the other hand, if the ball did bounce and then expected me to be amazed at it, or give it some reward for bouncing it would be foolish. It is only doing what I created it to do. I would be satisfied with it bouncing and I would be happy with it but I wouldn't praise it for being bouncy... I did that part.
God created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. (Westminster Shorter Catechism) It is our purpose. As I read my bible it is what we will be about in heaven. If that's not what I'm about, I won't like heaven, as a matter of fact it might be like hell to me.

Andy