Meaningful worship is one of the deepest needs of life, yet it is the weakest point in most of our worship. This is because of the lack of spiritual power, the lack of inward peace, and the failure to be genuine followers of Christ.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
– John 4:23-24
Meaningful worship is one of the deepest needs of life, yet it is the weakest point in most of our worship. This is because of the lack of spiritual power, the lack of inward peace, and the failure to be genuine followers of Christ.
During the second world war, Japan had a special division of pilots who flew suicide missions. They were called “kamikaze” pilots. The Allied forces considered them to be fanatic, and some even said that they were drugged. Those who were acquainted with Japanese history and customs recognised that these suicide missions were an expression of a combination of the highest patriotism and the deepest religious devotion. … Their actions illustrated the truth that intense dedication to a god (albeit a false god in their case) resulted in a special kind of people. [Adapted from T.T. Crabtree, Pastor’s Annual 2009, p.40]
The Scripture text from John 4 helps us to reflect on the special kind of people God wants His worshippers to be. It helps us traceback to reflect and trace back to the inadequacy of our worship, and to examine if we have been fooling ourselves into believing we are worshipping when in reality we are not. The following explanation from my Life Application Bible on John 4:23-24 will help us:
“God is spirit” means He is not a physical being limited to one place. He is present everywhere and He can be worshiped anywhere, at any time. It is not where we worship that counts, but how we worship. Is your worship genuine and true? Do you have the Holy Spirit’s help? How does the Holy Spirit help us worship? The Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26), teaches us the Words of Christ (John 14:26), and tells us we are loved (Romans 5:5).
Journeying with you … Pastor Susan
