WORSHIP DEFINED

“Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”

          John 4:21 (KJV)

We readily think of worship as singing of songs, attending of church meetings, and observing of religious ordinances. But these practices are far from what worship is. Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman by the well-side lets us know that there is true worship and false worship.

False worship is one that is based on outward acts: for in our opening scripture he lets her know that no longer will worship be done on a mountain or in Jerusalem – which is an outward form of worship.

The Oxford dictionary gives us two meanings of worship as related to our relationship with God: 

1.     To love and admire somebody very much, especially so much that you cannot see their faults.

2.      A strong feeling of love and respect you have for somebody.

You probably might not have thought of worship in this light, but this is what it really is: it is to love and respect God so much that you do not see a fault in him.

I have come across people who are quick to blame God for allowing misfortunes in their lives; they feel God could have led them better. This accusation is not true of God, as everything a believer goes through, as allowed by God, is intended to grant him an upward experience in life. The only thing that needs to change is his perception. 

When we complain about God’s leadership over our lives, identifying faults in his dealings with us, we are in no way worshiping him. A man can attend all the church services, sing all the worship songs, pay all his offerings and tithes and yet not be worshiping God as worship has shifted from an outward expression to an inward impression.

PRAYER

Dear father, I thank you for the call to worship you, I repent from false worship and pledge my respect and love for you irrespective of the odds I face in life. Amen.

FURTHER READING

John 4:20-24

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