IS GOD SEEKING YOU?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
(John 4:23)

MEDITATION:
During Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, there were
two central points discussed. One was the identity of the Messiah
and what He brings to those who seek Him – living water. The
other was regarding worship (the Samaritan raised this issue).
    “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.
    Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews
    claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
    (John 4:19-20)

She might have wanted to get an explanation of the controversy
of worship between her people and the Jews. Or, she may have
felt uncomfortable about them discussing her marriages and how
she is currently living a life of fornication, so she tried to change
the topic of discussion.
    He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
    “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her,
    “You are right when you say you have no husband.
    The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man
    you now have is not your husband. What you have just
    said is quite true.” (John 4:16-18)

Regardless of her motivation, what Jesus said to her about
worship is something that we also need to hear as well.
    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. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship
    in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Jesus said that our heavenly Father is seeking “true worshipers”.
The fact that God is seeking something means that it’s important
to Jesus, and it should be important to us.

We know that He seeks the lost (they are important to Him),
and He also seeks worshipers in “Spirit and truth”. “Spirit”
means He seeks worshipers who are led by the Holy Spirit
and not by selfishness. We need to remember that God is
Spirit and He cannot be worshiped as an image, or confined
to a place.

“Truth” means He is seeking those who are genuine;
and not those who are insincere about their faith.
“Truth” is non-negotiable, and God seeks those who
worship in truth as it is revealed His Word.

When we worship in ‘spirit’ and ‘truth’, we worship God
based on His terms, and not our own ideas. If we rely on
our own ideas, we will ‘blur’ God’s guidelines for sincere
worship. Why? Because Satan’s attacks target our minds,
and he wants us to distort God’s words like he does.

ACTION:
We can see that God is actively looking for people who will worship
Him. The challenge for us is to be the kind of disciple God wants and
expects us to be. In seeking to please Him, we need to be the kind of
servants who worship Him in “Spirit and truth”. We should ask
ourselves:
    Is God pleased with my worship?

We know that attending church is one type of corporate worship that
God has provided, however church attendance without worship is just
church attendance. When we are in God’s house, we are there to spend
time worshipping Him, and not to pass judgment on the order of service,
the music, or other people.

When we are focused on worshipping God, we will examine the ‘fruit’
of the message and compare it to the scriptures. This means we will
spend time in individual worship long after we have left the corporate
worship environment.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me to do more than just attend church.
Teach me to worship in spirit and in truth – the type of worship
You desire. Prepare my heart to hear from You when I am in
Your house.”

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