Causing a Commotion in Worship

   I was sitting on the end of the seventh row of the large church auditorium at the New Room Conference in south Nashville, Tennessee. The opening speaker, passionate about Jesus, had the room of 1500 sitting on the edge of our seats; he was really good. After a little while, I uncrossed my legs to adjust in my seat and my foot brushed against…

   …my water bottle, sitting on the inclined floor in front of me. It starts rolling and I froze. It did not stop. At first slowly and then making more and more noise, I closed my eyes and prayed that God would make me invisible. He didn’t. It rolled down the aisle on the right side of the huge room, all seven rows, coming to a stop right at the front of the stage. The speaker is still going, not aware of what had happened, but everyone around me has been watching my water bottle and turning around looking for the dummy that got it started. At this point, the man sitting in front of me, turns around and says, “That was a holy roller moment.” I recognize him as Professor Ben Witherington, a world-renowned Bible teacher as Asbury Seminary in Kentucky. He then smiles wide and says, “I’ve never seen a water bottle answer an altar call.” God was humbling me through a bottle of water.
   Are we rolling toward Jesus? Are we moving forward when God calls? Do we respond in worship?
   Psalm 19:1 proclaims that, “Heaven is declaring God’s glory, the sky is proclaiming his handiwork.” Speaking about God, Isaiah 55:12 says, “mountains and the hills before you shall break forth in song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Just days before the crucifixion, the Pharisees scolded the Jesus-followers as they sang the praises of Jesus. He responded that if they didn’t sing that God would make the rocks cry out (Luke 19:40).
   Oh Lord, don’t make rocks cry out your praise when we’ve been perfectly created to do it. I sometimes need people to knock me over to get me rolling. God is drawing us toward him. Will we roll with it, or resist? Lord, help me to turn around and come to you. Draw me nearer
Grace and peace, Scott