John 4:23 – 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.

Jesus explains to the woman at the well that, with His coming, God no longer had a certain place on earth for worship. Now those who believe on the Lord Jesus can worship God at any time and in any place. True worship means that a believer can enter into the presence of God by faith at any moment and right then and there, praise and worship Him. His body may be in an office, a jail cell, or a coffee shop, but his spirit can draw near to God simply by faith. Jesus announced to the woman that from now on worship of the Father would be in spirit and truth. The Jewish people had reduced worship to outward forms and ceremonies. They thought that by religiously adhering to the letter of the law, and going through certain rituals, they were worshiping the Father. But theirs was not a worship of the spirit. Their bodies might be bowed down on the ground, but their hearts were not right before God. The Samaritans, on the other hand, had a false form of worship. It had no scriptural authority. They had started their own religion and were carrying out ordinances of their own invention. Therefore, when the Lord said that worship must be in spirit and truth, He was rebuking both Jews and Samaritans. But He was also informing them that, now that He had come, it was possible for men to draw near to God through Him in true and sincere worship. Ponder this! The Father is ‘seeking’ such to worship Him.

Challenge:

God is most interested in the true and genuine devotion of His people. Does He receive this from you? Has God found you to be someone that worships Him regardless of the circumstances you find yourself dealing with? Worship of God is wonderful when everything in your life is going well, however, worship of God is even more needful when you are struggling. Your challenge this week is to give God exactly what He is looking for, give Him praise. Take time throughout your day to simply worship the Lord. As you drive into work each morning tell God how thankful you are for all He has done. Thank Him for the shining sun or for the falling rain. Thank Him for the green lights that do not slow you down and for the red lights that give you the opportunity to reflect on His goodness. When you are sitting in a business meeting or having coffee with a friend, take a moment and recognize the Lord is right there with you. No matter what you have to get accomplished this week, the dishes, the laundry or the oil changed, all of these activities can include praise and worship of your Lord. This week be a worshiper. May the Lord bless you always.

Have a God centered week,