In Spirit and In Truth
“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24
When you hear the word ‘worship’, you might think of a certain style of music, a specific segment of a church service or a religious facility. In this sense ‘worship’ can be understood as an adjective or a noun. Yet still, worship is not a word we would throw around carelessly- it is strictly reserved for deity and divinity.
In chapter 4 of the book of Matthew, Jesus approaches a Samaritan woman with a request for a drink. Despite expressing His issue of thirst, He reveals Himself as the only One who can provide living water and eternal life. In this conversation, Jesus debunks the Samaritan woman’s faulty understanding of worship as an event that takes place in a specific location. Further, He clears up her misconception of what worship truly consists of- emphasizing that it is essentially intimate fellowship with the person of God.
As believers, we must know that we are called to be worshippers. That is to say that the worship we offer to God ought to be reflected in our lifestyles. Worship is our estimation of Jesus above all else. He is the One true God who gives us living water and eternal life. Our knowledge of God then informs our worship, and our knowledge of God transforms our worship.Therefore, worship ought not to be reduced to a single act, occurring once a week in a church service, nor should worship refer to a musical genre we listen to. Rather, worship must characterize who we are, and worship is a quality we must embody.
Moreover, it is clear what type of worship is required of us. Jesus says we are to worship in Spirit and in truth. These two distinct characteristics of worship are what God is seeking, and how He identifies true worshippers. We know who we worship and we know what we worship. We can worship in Spirit because of the Spirit that we have received when we got saved. That same Spirit inspires our worship throughout our walk and reveals to us the person of Jesus Christ. In this way, our worship is limitless and unrestricted. With the lives we live, everything we do ought to reflect our worship to God.
Reflections
How is your worship inspired by your knowledge of God?
Prayer
Father God, I thank You for living water and eternal life. You are worthy of my worship, and I worship You in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written by Deborah Nimoh
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