JANUARY 22, John 4:6-9, 24-26 

At Jacob’s Well, Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman and asked her for water. Initially, she was reluctant to offer Jesus a drink, as He was a Jew, a man and a stranger. But Jesus told her that if she knew who He was, she would have asked for the living water which only He could provide, and He would have given her that water willingly and freely. By and by, she realised that Jesus was the promised Messiah, especially when He revealed, “I that speak unto thee am he.”

Besides learning that Jesus is God, this woman also learned another truth: that God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. What does “worship God in spirit and in truth” mean? To worship God in spirit and in truth means that we must first be born again (born of the Spirit). It also means that we must also worship God in the correct manner, according to His ways, as taught in the Scriptures. We cannot worship God anyhow, in our own ways.

Some charismatic churches teach doctrines that are contrary to what the Bible teaches us. These churches permit the speaking in tongues and the use of rock music in worship services. Remember that God is holy and deserves our reverential worship. Are you reverential to God during worship? Do you pay attention when hymns are sung or when the Word of God is taught to you? Do you honour God by coming punctually to worship Him every Sunday?

Thought: We must worship God in spirit and in truth.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please teach me how to worship You in the right way, in spirit and in truth and not in error. Teach me also to be a true Christian, not only in church or when I am with Christians, but all the time. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.