The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:24,
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."
This statement was made by Jesus when a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well wanted to talk to him about where God should be worshiped.
The Quest Study Bible has an interesting observation on this verse: "True worshipers (v. 23) must worship in the power (enablement) of God's Spirit and in accordance with his truth. In John's Gospel truth is associated with Jesus the Messiah (14:6). We are to know and worship the one and only God—the God revealed in the Bible through Jesus the Messiah. True worship is a matter of the heart. It demands more than just outward motions. It is an inner submission of oneself to God (Ro 12:1)."
That observation points to the worshipper's heart. Going to a church service, participating in the liturgy, partaking in the various activities as listed in the "Order of Worship", singing the hymns someone else has chosen that appear to be appropriate for the current calendar date is not going to do it.
As pointed out in the Quest note, worship is an affair of the heart. Something akin to Psalm 29:2, "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." Also Psalm 95:1-2, "Come, let us sing for joy [an expression of the heart!] to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." How about Psalm 96:8-9, "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth."
Psalm 100 captures it:
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Worship should also be reflected in how we order our lives, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."
This statement was made by Jesus when a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well wanted to talk to him about where God should be worshiped.
The Quest Study Bible has an interesting observation on this verse: "True worshipers (v. 23) must worship in the power (enablement) of God's Spirit and in accordance with his truth. In John's Gospel truth is associated with Jesus the Messiah (14:6). We are to know and worship the one and only God—the God revealed in the Bible through Jesus the Messiah. True worship is a matter of the heart. It demands more than just outward motions. It is an inner submission of oneself to God (Ro 12:1)."
That observation points to the worshipper's heart. Going to a church service, participating in the liturgy, partaking in the various activities as listed in the "Order of Worship", singing the hymns someone else has chosen that appear to be appropriate for the current calendar date is not going to do it.
As pointed out in the Quest note, worship is an affair of the heart. Something akin to Psalm 29:2, "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." Also Psalm 95:1-2, "Come, let us sing for joy [an expression of the heart!] to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." How about Psalm 96:8-9, "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth."
Psalm 100 captures it:
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Worship should also be reflected in how we order our lives, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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