One day, we will stand before God to account for our lives. On that day, we will see Him in all His glory, majesty, holiness, power, righteousness, and truth. On that day, we will see with our own eyes why He is King of kings and Lord of lords. On that day, we will worship Him.
How we worship Him now should really become a warm-up for that day. Worship is learning to know God for Who He is and knowing ourselves for who we are. One good thing to keep in mind: He doesn’t need our worship, but we need to worship Him because our very humanity depends upon Him alone.
What does this mean in real life? John 4 gives us a good model of true worship…
A Samaritan woman approaches a well alone, to collect water. A woman of low repute from a despised minority, she comes in the heat of the day to avoid the stares and whispers of those who look down on her. She is a woman who thinks little of herself.
She meets Jesus at the well. Because of who He is, we can be sure He was waiting for her.
John records the conversation. Jesus’ insightful line of questions and comments reveals the woman as one who prioritizes material things over spiritual, and who at best probably follows only perfunctory religious practices.
By the conclusion of the conversation, the woman has become a new person. She discovers that in Jesus, she was talking to God. She discovers that God delighted in her. In spite of her disgraceful failures in life, He saw something in her worth redeeming, something precious nobody else saw, including herself. All at once, she has new hope, new joy, a new future she never thought possible.
That day, the Samaritan woman saw God as she never saw Him before. That truth about Him touched her spirit in deep, personal ways and transformed her life. She responded by telling everyone she met what happened. She wanted everyone to meet this One who was like no other.
That day, the Samaritan woman experienced what Jesus meant when He told her, “He who worships the Father must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” She learned that worship means meeting God, bowing in submission to Him, delighting in Him, loving Him and enjoying Him because it became obvious He delighted in her.
Jesus was not put off by the things that caused others to shun her because He knew what He could do in her life. Change came, not through religious practice and habit but in relationship. That message to the Samaritan woman is just as true for you and me as it was for her two thousand years ago.
Like that woman, each of us has things in our lives of which we are ashamed. We fear judgment by others. Do we experience the King of kings like the Samaritan woman did, in His kindness, love, wisdom, patience, joy, strength, tenderness, peace, humility and generosity? Such a relationship evokes the true worship of humble repentance that brings transformation and joy.
Let us truly and humbly bow our hearts before Him. Then we, too, will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Like the Samaritan woman, we will want others to meet and worship Him who is like no other.
From the Desk of Valson Abraham 