John 4:19-24
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
For me and my siblings, January marks a grand celebration. It’s the month of our father’s birth. And in remembrance, on January 14th we each have his favorite meal.
Now during his life dad was very popular. He had hundreds attend our church. He was known all over the country by celebrity pastors, bishops, singers and friends. They all attended his funeral service giving testimony of the man they knew. Some said they considered him their father. Other boasted that they were his children too. But I’m certain that no matter how many people knew and loved him, few (if any) know what his favorite meal consist of. To find that out, you’ll have to ask his true daughter and sons. We knew our dad that well.
I bring this up as a comparison of what we sometimes do in our relationship with God. Yes, we are his children. We were united with him through the Spirit of adoption. But there is one that is even closer, and that’s Jesus the Christ, the only begotten Son. And if we hope to know the intimate details of the heart and mind of God, we’d do good to confer with Christ first. We’re learning. Jesus knows.
The discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman highlights the depth and stronghold of religious convictions that continue until this very day. The Jews so staunchly believe that true worship must take place in Jerusalem that they refuse to even walk through Samaria or talk to a Samaritan. And the Samaritans still hold fast to their long held belief that they indeed have claim to God’s preferred place of worship. So you can imagine the shock to the senses of both groups when Jesus proclaimed they were both incorrect.
Let’s put ourselves in their place. Everything you ever believed or held sacred is now being challenged. Each group had built monuments to their esteemed location. Each group fought, suffered, and died to maintain the integrity of their holy locations, only to be informed there is a better way. Only to find out that its not the location at all that God longs for. It’s hearts turned to him. Hearts and minds open to discovering who he really is.
Jesus said, “God is Spirit.” Wow. That is as profound a statement as has ever been uttered. It speaks to all the misconceptions we have concerning God’s personhood, his character, his demeanor and his attitude. God is not human at all. He is Spirit. He’s the supreme and sovereign authority of the universe. He is the universal force of all creation, the essence of the wind, the ripple in the waves, the clouds, sky, stars, moon. He is everywhere and in everything.
Jesus explains, true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. This proclamation is equally significant. God is not passively awaiting folk to discover him, but is actively seeking worshippers that will respond to his truest nature.
Jesus wants us to know his Father as he does. Worshipping God right where you are, with the realization that he is there, controlling and saturating the atmosphere, is extraordinary. And then add to that the truth of his word being the ultimate guide for your life. Living by his word, experiencing his presence, being nurtured and held in his arms of love and protection is the epitome of worship. There is nothing better.
Dearest Children of God, I pray we all experience the presence of God often. He’s seeking us. He’s calling us. He’s laboring to bring us into his glory. We must labor to fight every distraction, stumbling block, or inclination toward self-gratification and simply surrender to his presence. We fight so hard sometimes to unravel the mysteries of his will, that we often miss the simple joy of his presence. You don’t have to go to the mountains anymore, because he’s right there.
God Bless
