JUL 26

John 4:21-24
Memorise Psalm 89:7
"for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit"

What is the right way of worshipping God? Looking around at  the local church scene, or even a quick perusal of worship songs we find online, we see a huge variety of ways in which people worship God. It ranges from the extremely solemn, instrument free, liturgical services that are at times lifeless, mechanical, and even boring, to the lively, rock concert-esque, contemporary style of worship that seems so entertaining, exciting and filled with exuberance. The two are so diametrically opposite, but yet they both claim to be worshipping the same God of the Bible. How are we to reconcile the two? What is the right way of worshipping God?

Jesus gave us clear instructions in John 4 with regards to how we ought to worship. He taught that true worshippers of God are to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The reason, He explained, is that God Himself is a Spirit, and they that worship Him would worship accordingly. So we ask, what does it mean to worship God in spirit?

To worship in spirit means that it must be done sincerely from the heart. The emphasis here is not on the physical, but the attitude in our hearts when we worship. We can be physically present in a worship service, but if we are not there in spirit, it is of no use, for we would be just as the hypocrites, whom Jesus described, “this people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6). We can be sitting there, mouthing the words, but at the same time our hearts and our minds can be miles away, thinking sinful thoughts that bring God so much grief and anger.

Our attitudes therefore must be one of deep reverence and godly fear, knowing that we are standing before the Almighty God who is worthy of our praise. As Psalm 89:7 teaches us, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him”. Worship involves our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, as we fully immerse ourselves in sincere heartfelt worship for the Holy God who so loves us, and gave His Son to die for our sins.

Thought: I may be physically in church, am I spiritually in church?
Prayer: Lord, as I go to Your house each week, may You help me to truly worship You in spirit, with a pure, sincere heart for Thee.