Real Worship
“Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:21-24
I am NOT a Bible expert, contrary to what people may think. I just have a totally insatiable desire to know, love, and serve the Lord forever. I can be just as baffled, intimidated, frustrated, overwhelmed, intrigued, and clueless in studying the Bible as anyone. What may distinguish me from some is I am zealous, stedfast, passionate, indescribably thirsty, and relentless in seeking the Lord, learning to follow Him, and staying steadily in His Word. Trying to understand what God means by worshiping Him in spirit and truth had me flustered and discouraged for years – until I felt God’s Spirit bring me to an understanding for myself – and maybe for you.
God does not want us bound in our worship by a time, place, method, style, program, formula, routine, traditions, or by how others worship Him. He wants us to worship Him with pure, devoted hearts. He wants us to be real, raw, honest, sincere, and genuine in our worship. The Greek word translated into worship also means to lie prostrate before, to kiss like a dog (per concordance). Worship is about love, reverence, humble adoration, submission, yielding to Him utterly. Worship is in part a way of life. It is also about an expression of love and praise. How many of us, if we worship God at all, are bound in man’s traditions, singing pre-determined, pre-programmed songs in church as we watch the clock, await the sermon, and listen to our stomachs growl in anticipation of our fellowship picnic?
Are some of us afraid, or have some of us not even considered, to step away from man’s traditions and what everyone else is doing to learn how to worship the Lord in our own private time with Him? David danced naked before God. Others played instruments. Some sang. Some wrote. Some were inside. Some outside. Some lay down on the ground. Some knelt. Some wrote psalms. Some raised their hands to heaven. Did God honor one person’s worship over another? What about today? I believe He honors the worship of those whose hearts and lives are sincerely His and whose worship is real. He has gifted us in different ways. He has gifted me with words. I use writing and speaking to worship the Lord. Sometimes I use song. Most of all, I worship Him with a heart that belongs to Him.
Do you need to break out of man’s traditions and worship the Lord for real?