But an hour is coming, and now is, when the 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 4:23-24 

Today: Read John 4

The discussion involved the woman’s immorality. As Jesus engages a Samarian woman, He begins to identify her spiritual need. She had been through five marriages and was currently living with a man who was not her husband. But as Jesus moves closer to her heart and begins to address her need for redemption, she quickly changes the subject to that of worship. Jesus does not correct her nor attempt to move her back into the original discussion rather he continues with her to the subject of worship. Today’s passage is what follows.

Worship is a private matter. Yes, worship can take place in a larger setting involving a number of people gathered for that purpose but the very act of worship is entirely a personal experience. Worship involves the heart and mind. Merely singing the words to a song or participating in some aspect of a church service does not guarantee that worship has truly taken place. There are only two individuals who can assess worship: God and the participant. Consider the words of God to the people of Israel:

…this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote…

                                                                                                               Isaiah 29:13 

God’s accusation against the people was not that they had abandoned the practice of gathering and going through the rituals. Quite the contrary, they were speaking all of the right things with their mouths however their hearts were not in it. I believe, for many, this happens in church services on a weekly basis. Songs are sung, prayers offered, and sermons preached (and these are all excellent things) but for many, these outward activities do not match what is going on in the heart and mind. For true worship to take place, there must be a heart transformation (John 3:3). Worship isn’t for the religious rather it is for sinners who have been set free by the power of Jesus’ finished work on the cross (Romans 4:4-5).

I believe this is what Jesus is saying to the Samaritan woman. The true worshipers of God worship in spirit and in truth. In other words, when we are filled with the Spirit of God (an indication that salvation has occurred) and we are celebrating the truth that this redemption does not come as a result of our own works rather as a gift from God through faith in Jesus’ obedience on the cross, then the ingredients are there for authentic, life-changing worship.

But the other part of God’s accusations over the people’s worship was that their reverence for God consisted of traditions learned by rote. It seems that all too often, seasoned churchgoers can move through a service, navigating all of its elements, without too much effort being exerted. This familiarity can cause us to lose sight of why we are there. Worship should not consist of memorizing something and repeating it for the sake of repetition. Take The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States. In my generation, we learned that pledge early and said it often. It is ingrained in the minds of many. But repetition of the pledge doesn’t necessarily mean that we fully understand and its significance. The same can happen with worship.

It might cause distress in some, but I believe that church services would do well to break out of their “normal” routines, allowing for the Spirit of God to direct those moments. That is not a call for disorder or chaotic behavior. The Spirit of God will always promote order and peace. But it is a challenge for the church to “think outside the box” when considering corporate worship. Our worship should never be reduced to mere repetition without the involvement of our hearts and minds.

So here are three suggestions when approaching the subject of worship:

1. Worship is not bound to a specific location.

Unfortunately, worship is often thought of as only taking place during a church service. In fact, worship is often thought of as the “singing” portion of that same service. This shouldn’t be. Worship can take place anytime, anywhere. Yes, we should gather with other like-minded believers to worship God corporately, but our worship is not limited to those gatherings. 

2. Worship is not limited to a specific genre of music.

Music is an important part of worship for many people. Unfortunately, music in the church has been one of the “mountains” for which people are prepared to die. We all have different musical tastes, but once again, it is the heart of the person singing that signifies whether or not worship is taking place. If we were to travel across the globe, visiting various churches, even in the remotest parts of the world, we would hear different styles of music, different languages, and observe different techniques. But when we hear the voice of a true worshiper of God, there is no denying that we have experienced His presence.

3. Worship should be a daily part of the life of a believer.

Finally, because worship is not restricted to a specific location nor is it limited to a specific genre of music, worship can and should take place every moment of our lives. As believers, we should give thanks and worship God everywhere, at all times. When Jesus is at the center of our hearts and minds, we will find that He is indeed with us and we will begin to see His hand at work in our lives. After all, walking day-by-day with the Savior, enjoying His presence in our lives is at the heart of true worship!