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"Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.'"
(Revelation 22:8-9)
I am still reflecting back on the blessed mission trip I was able to go on in January. Two other men from our church, Brandon and Tom, also traveled to South Asia with me, and the Lord richly blessed our 10-day trip. God allowed us to do and see many wonderful things. He is working in Asia, praise His name!
We were able to help teach and train pastors from multiple Asian countries who attended a conference sponsored by Alpha International Ministries (AIM). After the conference, our team traveled to another country and spent 5 days visiting those among the people group that our church committed to reach. At that time, 12 years ago, this people group was considered an UUPG (Unengaged Unreached People Group). Praise the Lord, we can remove the unengaged, unreached part! God is reaching them and using our local church in Austin, TX to do so. Of all the things God has allowed me to do as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus these last 40 years, this is the work I think that most pleases the Lord. They would not be a people of God had our church not gone. We are the only ones looking for them and sharing Jesus with them. True, God could have raised up another band of believers to preach the Gospel to them, but He chose us, and we said, "Yes, we will go." I am so glad we did.
My favorite part of the trip was when we were in the home of some members of this particular group. There were both believers in Jesus and unbelievers present in this humble home. Brandon and Tom spoke briefly to them, and then I shared the Gospel as my interpreter translated. After we shared, I noticed an 11-year-old girl asking our interpreter a question. Later, I was shocked to hear her request. In honor to me for what I shared with her and her family, she asked if she could kneel before me in worship. Our Christian interpreter wisely responded that she could not do that because we do not believe in that. We believe we are to worship God alone.
Her request reminded me of what the Apostle John did in our focal text for today's devotion. He was so overcome with gratitude for what God had shown him that he mistakenly bowed in worship before the angel. The angel told him not to do that but to worship God. Worship is to be given to Jesus alone. I am uncomfortable with a gesture in America that people often do when honoring a professional athlete. They wave their arms toward them in a bowing down motion. I think that is inappropriate. We are to reserve such praise and worship for the Lord God Almighty and Him alone.
Every person in the world is a worshiper. Most do not worship the one true God. Many in our country bow before the idols of money, relationships, and a host of other false gods. All gods make terrible gods except for the One true God, the Triune God, three Persons in One Being: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let us worship Him and kneel before Him and Him alone.
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