All throughout Scripture, the power of worship is at the heart of the stories. While there are plenty of themes that can be found throughout all 66 books of the Bible, worship is certainly one of the most prominent themes. Unfortunately, worship remains one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christianity. Today, allow the Holy Spirit to show you what it means to be a “true worshiper.” There are Biblical examples that provide us with the principles that we need.
John 4:21-23 (TPT)
Jesus responded, “Believe me, dear woman, the time has come when you will worship the Father neither on a mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in your heart. Your people don’t really know the One they worship, but we Jews worship out of our experience, for it’s from the Jews that Salvation is available. From now on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with a right heart. For God is a Spirit, and he longs to have sincere worshipers who adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.”
Jesus was having this conversation with a woman who truly did not understand worship. It wasn’t really her fault; she was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were a race of people who were created when Jews who had been taken into captivity started marrying and starting families with Gentiles. The result was a biracial group of people who could never really find a group that wanted to associate with them. The Jews saw the Samaritans as the byproduct of their captivity, and the Gentiles saw them as the result of people “lowering themselves” into a place of forming relationships with a race they deemed inferior. Obviously, both groups were wrong, which was why Jesus made it a point to pass through Samaria (John 4:4).
The woman assumed that the most important aspect of worship was based on location. The Samaritans lived in a place that was sacred to the Jewish people, and therefore, she believed that she had figured out worship. Jesus challenged her way of thinking by pointing out that worship wasn’t about location, rather it was about the willingness of the worshiper to truly experience God.
It’s easy for us to read this story and act like we know the woman was wrong, but don’t we often have the same mindset regarding worship? No matter what type of church you attend, there is probably a portion of the service that is dedicated to worship. In most cases, modern worship involves singing. However, when we assume that worship is confined only to a portion of a weekly church service, we run the risk of making the same mistake that the woman at the well made.
Our worship is also not about where we are. Yes, it’s important to attend church and to worship with your Christian family. However, worship is meant to be a lifestyle choice, not a once-weekly action. Jesus told the woman that God was looking for people who would worship Him “in truth.”
What does it mean to be participate in true worship? Let’s dive into Scripture to find more about how we can make that a reality in our lives.
Slow Down and Let Go
Matthew 11:29 (TPT)
“Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment in me.”
The heart of worship is found in focusing completely on the goodness of God in our lives. When you take inventory of your life, it’s easy to focus on all the things that are causing you stress. You don’t have to be a negative individual to primarily fixate on the things that are bringing you stress. In most cases, our natural inclination is to focus on our troubles because we want to find a way out of them. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus told the disciples that they should bring their worries to Him, release them, and enjoy the kind of freedom that He had for His people.
Today, we would do well to do the same. Worship forces us to shift our focus from the things that bring us trouble to the One who brings us peace. Another misconception about worship is that it somehow makes our problems go away. Make no mistake about it, even if you worship, you will still have struggles and problems in life. Worship isn’t about escaping trouble. Instead, it’s about not focusing solely on those problems so you can fully focus on the Savior.
Today, take the first step to becoming a true worshiper, and slow down. Instead of allowing your mind and your heart to race in the face of everything that is going against you, shift your focus onto the blessings that God has given you.
Worship Doesn’t Have to Be Loud
Psalm 131:1-2 (TPT)
Lord, my heart is meek before you. I don’t consider myself better than others. I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head-such as your complex mysteries and wonders-that I’m not yet ready to understand. I am humbled and quieted in your presence. Like a contented child who rests on its mothers lap, I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.
A large part of today’s study has involved clearing up some misconceptions about worship. This verse provides us with another opportunity to do that. Churches that practice a more “charismatic” style of worship usually include loud, exuberant displays of worship. In no way is this wrong, but it’s important to note that worship doesn’t have to look like that to be true worship. Moreover, worship doesn’t have to include singing or music at all.
In the passage that we just read, King David was discussing his own time spent in God’s presence. He wrote, “I am humbled and quiet in your presence.” David, who was a skilled musician in his own right, wasn’t singing or playing. Instead, he was humble and quiet, simply soaking in the presence of God.
If you don’t feel like you’re a good singer, and you have no musical ability, you are not precluded from being a true worshiper. Instead, worship is simply about humbling yourself in the presence of God.
Today, spend some time quietly reflecting on the goodness of God in your life. Spend a few moments simply thinking about the things that He has given you and allow yourself to fully experience what it’s like to “rest like a child” in the lap of your Heavenly Father.
True Worship Doesn’t Stop
Luke 19:39-40 (TPT)
Some Jewish religious leaders who stood off from the processions said to Jesus, “Teacher, order your followers at once to stop saying these things!” Jesus responded, “Listen to me. If my followers were silenced, the very stones would break forth with praises!”
Finally, in order to understand what it means to worship God in truth, we must understand that worship doesn’t actually stop. Again, if we take the approach that the woman at the well held to, we will assume that our weekly worship stops when our church service ends. When we compartmentalize worship into a weekly action, we assume that our worship has a beginning and an end. That’s not God’s design for worship.
Additionally, we have a tendency to let our worship stop when we’re facing times of adversity. When we’re wondering how the things in our lives that are going bad are going to turn around, it’s hard for us to worship, but worship doesn’t stop.
Jesus said that if His followers were silenced, the rocks would cry out. Why? Because creation itself is the result of God’s goodness. The final step in becoming a true worshiper is found in never “turning off” your worship. Instead, allow it to be an ever-present part of your existence. When you do that, you will find that you spend more time in deep communion with God.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I want to become a true worshiper. I know that everything in my life is the result of Your goodness, and I seek to live my life in a way that constantly points to that. Help me to slow down, be quiet, and rest in Your goodness at all times. In Christ’s name, Amen.