Re-read John chapter two. Like everything else in Scripture, that passage serves a purpose; it's there for our edification, not just ass filler. Notice who does the "praying" to Jesus at the wedding feast. Notice she does so with perfect efficacy. Why would you not want her praying to Jesus for you?
Now here's a thought question: What if you went into a restaurant, took a seat at a table, and then sat and sat while the waiters ignored you. You call out to one of the wait staff, "Excuse me, I'm waiting to be served!" and a waitress says, "I'm sorry, we 're Christians. We serve only God."
You'd think that was pretty silly, right?
Because the commandment Jesus gave us means to only serve God as Supreme Being," and the only one who deserves our complete obedience and adoration. This is the particular meaning of the word "serve" as it appears in that verse.
The same thing is true of the word "worship" or "honor" or "pray to," or whatever, in the context of Christ's teaching. It means that God only must we adore as God. But we honor and show esteem for all those people whom God has made holy by His gifts, His grace and His merit.
It helps if you keep in mind that "Pray to" and "adore" are not synonyms. "Honor" and "adore" are not synonyms.
"Adore" meaning "giving supreme honor, supreme glory, supreme praise, obedience, and submission, to the Supreme Being" is something that must be given to God alone.
Can I show that Biblically? Sure. It permeates Old Testament culture.
I looked up “kneel(ing)” and “bow(ing)” in the good old BibleGateway Keyword Search, and found so many references it would be exhausting to list them all.
And these are all examples approved by God! Not one of them is condemned or reproved!
Genesis 23:7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of that land.
Genesis 33:3-7 Jacob bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother Esau.
maidservants and their children bow down to Esau
Leah and her children bow down to honor humans
Joseph and Rachel bow for the same reason. Etc. etc!
Genesis 37 Joseph’s dreams: his brothers’ sheaves of corn -— and then the sun and moon and eleven stars —— bow down to him. Later his brothers actually do bow down to him with their faces to the ground
Genesis 48:11 Joseph bows to Jacob “with his face to the earth.”
1 Kings 1:15 Bathsheba bows low (face to the ground) and kneels before the aged king David
2 Kings 1:13 the captain "kneels" before the prophet Elijah, and “prays” —begs-— him to spare his life and the life of his 50 men
Moses bows down to father-in-law; Ruth bows down to Boaz;
David prostrates before Jonathan; and before Saul;
Abigail, Saul and Nathan prostrate to David;
Obadiah bows to the ground before Elijah;
the prophets in Jericho bow before Elisha;
the “whole assembly” bows low and prostrates before David;
David bows to the Temple;
David prostrates to Jerusalem;
God causes the king’s adversaries to bow prostrate on the ground and “lick the dust at his feet”;
God promises that the sons of the oppressors will bow to Zion.
OK, pretty obviously the patriarchs, prophets, and kings knew about the commandment not to bow down and worship anything or anybody but God. But here they are bowing, kneeling, and prostrating, and God is not offended. Why?
Because the commandment clearly forbids bowing and worshipping a creature as the Creator--- in other words, adoring; it does not forbid kneeling or bowing (to king, prophet, father, husband or brother) as a form of honor.
The commandment does not prohibit kneeling or bowing to give honor. It prohibits, specifically, adoration toward anyone but Almighty God.
Now here’s an interesting episode:
1 Kings 2:19
When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
Here’s the King bowing to his mother. Does that mean she’s equal to God? No. It doesn’t even mean she’s equal to the King. It means he’s pleased to honor her because of her royal dignity, her relationship as Queen Mother.
As our mindset gets further and further from traditional custom and culture, it gets harder and harder to grasp what was once the universal language of physical gesture (the salute, the tip of the hat, the bow, the genuflection, the handclasp, the curtsey, the kiss) and put each expression in its proper perspective.
That's a Biblical truth to ponder and appreciate. As I live, I appreciate it more and more.