Discover His heart: He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth
It’s difficult to communicate with people when we’re not on the same page as them, so to speak. Our focus may be different, perhaps our understanding of the thing we’re discussing is not the same, or maybe attitude is an issue. Regardless of the cause, we’re well aware when we lack agreement and harmony in a dialogue. In John 4, Jesus gave some powerful advice to the Samaritan woman about successful communication with our Father
@ John 4
The Samaritan woman at the well approached her conversation with Jesus with many issues regarding her race, her lifestyle and her worship. Jesus introduced her to the Living Water and answered her question about the proper place to worship with a powerful key to communicating with God. “The time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (23-24)
Jesus put to rest the dialogue about where to worship and focused on how to worship. It was a new time, gone were the old traditions and typical ways of Old Testament worship, and now was the time for true worship – His coming changed everything!
Through the acceptance of Jesus and His salvation, we are no longer confined to a certain place or tradition of worship, but we have access to Him anywhere, any time because He is a Spirit who is everywhere all the time. But how do we worship Him in spirit and in truth?
True worship is not done out of obligation or tradition, but it is offered out of sincerity and a genuine desire to express love and adoration for God – this is truth. Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 15:8 when He quoted Isaiah regarding the Pharisees, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Worship in truth comes from a heart so full of Him that there’s little room for anything else when our lips express what is truly in our hearts. At these moments of true worship, we are not thinking in the back of our minds about the errands we need to run or the roast in the oven or the next appointment because our thoughts of Him have filled our hearts and minds. It’s not as though we can fool Him.
“The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:17) My most genuine spirit worship comes when I worship Him for who He is in relationship to who I am not. It’s difficult to worship Him for the immensity of His greatness and goodness when there’s even an ounce of pride in any great or good in me. “Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God?” (Psalm 71:19)
When the magnitude of His greatness shakes me to my knees in humility and brokenness, my spirit, my inner man, can truly worship in spirit the God who is Spirit. Same focus, same understanding, same attitude – on the same page, so to speak.
True worship is sincere, attentive, heartfelt and spirit-humbled communication with the Father that can take place anywhere and anytime because He is a Spirit who is everywhere all the time. Because He has to look for it, apparently true worship isn’t something that flows easily from His children, “The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way,” (23) Oh, that He will find in each one of us what He is looking for today!
Moving Forward: I join with David, a true worshiper, and pray, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
Tomorrow @ I Timothy 1-3
Phyllis Benigas 