“People the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” John 4:23 NAS
“Worship is the recognition of God’s proper place and your fitting response of devotion.”
My thoughts today are about “true worship.”
Worship happens instinctively. You were created to worship the One who created you. When you do that it feels natural because worship is in your DNA, an undeniable and unchangeable part of who you are. When you do not worship God, you will find a substitute – someone or something, maybe yourself. You will worship; the question is only who or what you will worship.
People become puzzled about worship, when worship is confused with a place rather than a purpose. If you were not raised “in church,” and sometimes even when you were, you can be unclear about worship. Let’s get back to basics; God’s opinion and instruction matters most.
Jesus met a woman at Jacob’s well outside the city of Samaria. Read John 4:4-26 NKJV. It was the middle of the day, an odd time for this unusual woman to come to draw water. Jesus began a life-changing conversation with her about thirst, natural and spiritual. It was quickly obvious that she was confused about a lot of things – life, relationships, and worship.
When the conversation turned in the direction of spiritual life, she was concerned about the proper place for worship – the Samaritans in Samaria, or the Jews in Jerusalem? Does it really matter where? Not to God, but it seems to be an issue with many people.
Most times we are also confused, because we are conflicted about how to worship. Where a person worships reflects what they think worship should “look and feel like,” and that usually translates into their preferred style of music and familiar manner of expression – contemporary or traditional, fast or slow, rock or religious, exuberant or contemplative, etc. Those things are not about God or worship because worship isn’t merely about style or music. Those are about you, your experience, familiarity, and preferences mostly.
Know this: worship is not about you; it’s all about God! God’s priority is about who and why you worship, not how you do that or where you do so; true worship is your recognition of God’s proper place in your life and your fitting response of devotion to Him.
With personal knowledge and good authority, Jesus said, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know . . true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:22-24 NAS. You are someone for whom the father seeks; your worship is His joy.
The most basic reality about worship is your personal and growing relationship with God, “the Father.” How can you worship “the Father” you do not know, and how will you know “the Father” you do not worship? Your worship can only deepen and grow as your knowledge and relationship with God matures and grows. Worship is way beyond music; music is merely an expression of the soul worshiping.
True worship pours out of a sacred life, lived beyond a church’s walls. “Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering.” Romans 12:1-2 The Message. Now, that’s what worship looks and sounds like!
My prayer for you today is that you know God personally and worship Him truly.