True Worship

True Worship

Read: John 4:4-26

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

John 4:24

“This is adoration; not a difficult religious exercise, but an attitude of the soul.”

—Evelyn Underhill

IN WORD The greatest pleasure of the Christian life is worship, though we scarcely realize it until we’ve dived in wholeheartedly. We approach it at first as an obligation. We’re fairly self-focused, and it’s hard to turn our hearts toward God. But if we do, in spirit and in truth (i.e., with zealous inspiration and according to who God really is), we find inexpressible delights. Jesus seeks to turn us, like the woman at the well, into worshipers with substance rather than worshipers of ritual. How do we make that change?

Many of us ask God this question: “What is my responsibility toward You?” While not a bad question, there is a better, more heartwarming question: “What can I offer You to show my devotion?”

Do you see the difference? The first question presupposes a requirement we must meet. It almost assumes that there will be a minimum standard, and after having met it, we will cease our God-ward activity and resume our self- ward obsession. The second question presupposes a desire to express love and devotion. It assumes that there can never be enough we can offer Him, but whatever we can find to offer, we will. There is no self-focus in it at all; it is entirely enamored with God.

IN DEED Jesus would have us not ask which requirements we are to fulfill, but what more of ourselves we can offer Him. When we look for our required obligation, we do not worship in spirit, because the Spirit of God would not inspire us to fulfill quotas of devotion. And we do not worship in truth, because we underestimate God’s worth. He is worth all we are, and more.

Blessed is the worshiper who can truthfully—and with pleasure—say to the Lord: “What can I do for You? You name it, it’s Yours. Whatever I can offer You, please let me.” This is the kind of worshiper the Father seeks.