"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth ..."
~ John 4:23 (NKJV)
What is the heart of true worship, in spirit and truth?
True worship will certainly bow the knee to God as Lord—but even those who are spiritually lost and will perish shall one day bow the knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).
True worship will continually speak praise to God for His goodness (Psalm 34:1-3)—but all to often our words fail to come from the heart (Matthew 6:7).
True worship sacrificially offers to God the very best of time, talent, and treasure—but God does not desire the simple return to our Giver of what He first gave us (Acts 17:25; 1 Corinthians 4:7). Indeed, David says in Psalm 40:
Sacrifice and offering You did not desire ...
Then I said, "Behold, I come ...
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart."
It seems to me that to worship in spirit is to worship God for His own sake, as pleases Him, and not because Self seeks benefit, pleasure or completion of duty; to worship in truth is forsaking whatever image of Him I've created so that I might delight to gaze upon the beauty of all He truly is, and thereby delight in His will.
What is the heart of true worship, in spirit and truth?
Can we even begin to understand the answer to such a question?
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Copyright 2011, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Anne I am sure many readers would love to have the answer to that question. Awesome post.
ReplyDeleteOdie
Amen my dear friend, would love to know that answer.
ReplyDeleteAs cliche as it sounds, I think the heart of God desires from us the very thing that He is... Love. I think that is the beginning. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOdie and Denise, I think we glimpse a little more of the answer every time we worship, and we get the whole precious treasure when we one day worship in His presence.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you, Floyd! Whatever other way we worship and express that God is our Lord and God, it would be meaningless duty without love. I'm glad you made that point.
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