WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH (PART 1)

"The true worshipers will worship

the Father in spirit and truth;

for the Father is seeking such to worship"

John 4:23 (NKJV)

The greatest pleasure of the Christian life is WORSHIP, though we scarcely realize it until we've dive in WHOLEHEARTEDLY. We often approach it at first as an obligation. We're fairly self-focused, and it's hard to turn our HEARTS toward God. But if we do, IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH (i.e., with zealous inspiration and according to who God really is), we find in expressible delights. Jesus seeks to turn us, like the woman at the well, into WORSHIPERS with substance rather than WORSHIPERS of ritual. How do we make that change?

Many of us ask God this question: "What is my responsibility toward You?" While not a bad question, there is a better, more HEARTWARMING question: "What can I offer You to show my devotion?"

Do you see the difference? The first question presupposes a requirement we must meet. It almost assumes that there will be a minimum standard, and after having met it, we will cease our "God-ward" activity and resume our "self-ward" obsession. The second question presupposes a desire to express LOVE and DEVOTION. It assumes that there can never be enough we can offer Him, but whatsoever we can find to offer, we will. There is no "self-focus" in it at all; it is entirely enamored with God.
Jesus would have us not ask which requirement we are to fulfill, but what more of ourselves we can offer Him. When we look for our required obligation, we do not WORSHIP IN SPIRIT, because the Spirit of God would not inspire us to fulfill quotas of devotion. And we do not WORSHIP IN TRUTH, because we understand God's worth. He is worth all we are, and more!

Blessed is the WORSHIPER who can truthfully - and with pleasure - say to the LORD: "What can I do for You? You name it, it's Yours. Whatever I can offer You, please let me." This is the kind of WORSHIPER the Father seeks.
(an extract from: At His Feet Devotion by Chris Tiegreen)