GOD IS SPIRIT – WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

17th MAY 2020

“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship’. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.  You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:18 – 24

Prior to this time of global quarantine necessitating the ban on every congregate setting, religious leaders have often disagreed on the place and mode of worship.  While it is true that the church ought to be seen as the spiritual body of Christ, the human elements actually make up the church, not the beautiful building housing the church! Besides, God is everywhere and can be assessed from anywhere. But that is not the issue at this point. The main issue is that irrespective of where we choose to worship God, whether in the church, mountain or at home, we must endeavor to enter into a holy union or communion with God; Our spirit must be aligned with the spirit of God.  Jesus is telling us today that “Where you worship God is not nearly as important as how you worship God.”  How do we worship God in spirit and truth you may ask? Jesus tells us today that God is spirit. Therefore, we do not create God in the image of what we think He ought to be, or in an image that appeals to us or that suits our lifestyle. On the contrary, our worship of God must be informed by how He revealed Himself to us in the Word of God, the Bible. As spirit, God is invisible. But He does His work in the hearts, souls, minds, and spirits of human beings. To reach out to God in our souls and heart therefore, we have to reciprocate with our hearts and souls, without distractions whatsoever. We must be sincere and truthful in our praise worship as well; Meaning that we must not be pretentious, play to the galleries, or focus on someone else, while we pretend to be worshipping God. Some of us believe so much in our pastors or Priests, and therefore are often tempted to focus their hearts on the Pastors or Priests rather than God. Henceforth, be sure that while the pastor is conducting the service, LET YOUR HEARTS BE FOCUSED ON GOD, NOT ON THE PASTOR. One of the reasons our prayers do not get answered is because we focus our attention too much in the wrong direction! Its time to truly focus on God and His divine spirit!

Finally, Jesus is telling us this morning that the place of worship is not as important as the method of worship. Jesus saw what is happening today several years ago and warned us ahead. What matters in worship or prayers is a union of our Spirit with the Spirit of God! If we are not able to unite with God’s Spirit during prayers and worship, then our worship is a waste of time, it does not matter whether we are in the church building, at home or on a mountain.  

Now that we have been forced to sit at home against our will, thereby making church attendance a punishable offence, it is time to understand the art of true worship without necessarily sitting in the church or temple. Simply let your spirit flow into the spirit of God and become one with God in truth.   

PRAYER

Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I align my heart with yours today, as I worship in spirit and in truth. Grant me my heart desires speedily. Thank you, Jesus.

 FURTHER READING: 1 Corinthians 2:12-16; Psalm 46:10; Matthew 6:5-7; Mark 1:35