Worship in the Spirit and in Truth

Which of the following did Jesus say?

A) “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father with majestic organs and choirs, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

B) “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father with guitars and drums, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

C)“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father with skill and harmony, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

D)“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

(For help, see John 4:23)

            The Father is seeking people to worship Him! Did you catch that? Or did that message get lost in the debate between organs and choirs versus guitars and drums? Or maybe your thoughts were distracted by the skill and harmony part? If you did, you are not alone! It’s happening over and over again in churches across America.

            We divide ourselves over silly things like whether we like organs or guitars, totally forgetting that the Father is looking for people who want to worship Him!  We get distracted away from true heartfelt worship by comparing one musician against another, preferring one person’s playing or another’s voice without giving any thought that true worship is not about what tickles our ears the best but is about what pleases God.

            For true worship is not about instruments and voices or even who has the most skill and harmony. It is about people coming before God to worship in the Spirit and in truth. Instruments can be played well, played poorly, or not played at all, and people can still worship in Spirit and in truth. People can sing beautifully in harmony or they can be terribly off-key; either way they sound wonderful to the Father if their hearts are right before Him.

            The Father is seeking people to worship Him! It is worth repeating. He loves to hear you sing to Him whether you have a good voice or not. He loves to hear you play an instrument in worship even if it’s not studio quality. He loves to receive that sacrifice of praise whether it is coming from lips that are singing and proclaiming His greatness, hands that are serving someone or painting a picture, or minds that are unleashing creativity and wonder. The Father loves it when we worship with whatever we have to offer as long as we offer it in Spirit and in truth.

             What the Father doesn’t like, however, is fake worship. Worship that is not done in truth but out of obligation or because everyone else is doing it is not worship at all. The most skilled musician can lead us in song but if his heart is not in it he is just singing a song. We can put on our Sunday best, go to church, give our 10%, and sing our hearts out but if we fail to humble ourselves before God and exalt Him over our lives and our own selfish desires then we haven’t really worshiped. The Father is seeking people who will worship Him in truth and He knows when we are just flapping our lips or going through the motions.

            If you are one of the many among us who have been distracted by the circumstances of life or the debates over the style of music and have not been giving your heart to God in worship on a regular ongoing basis, know that God does not hold that against you but instead is just waiting for you to turn to Him and begin to worship Him in whatever way seems best to you.

You can sing His praises in the car or in the shower as well as in church, and in fact I think He likes it best when we spontaneously praise Him and thank Him for all that He has done and is doing in our lives. You can simply talk to Him, praying out loud or in your own heart, or have a song of praise on your lips or in your heart as you go throughout your day. You can do your daily work as onto the Lord, making it an act of praise onto Him, whether it is doing the dishes at home or serving a customer in your workplace.

Do all these things and much more as sincere acts of worship as the Spirit leads you and the Father will be well-pleased to find you worshiping in Spirit and in truth.

Let’s Pray Together: Father, I confess that I don’t always worship you the way that I should. Sometimes I forget to worship or pray and simply go my own way without thought of You. Other times I do take the form of worship but I just do it out of routine or obligation and my heart isn’t really in it. Forgive me. And thank you that because of the cross of Jesus I am forgiven and I have a fresh start in my relationship with You. Help me to worship You in Spirit and in truth, with my spiritual ears in tune to your leading and my heart open and right before You. Keep me from any duplicity or falsehood in my relationship with You and with others. Lead me as I pray and show me how you want me to worship You… (Continue praying as you feel led)

This devotional is authored and published by Randy Brockett. All publishing rights are reserved but readers are encouraged to repost (please include this copyright info) or share his insights with their family, friends, and congregations. For other devotionals by Randy, see www.blesseddisciples.com, www.dwellinchrist.com, and www.discoveringbiblicalchurch.com.