THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP - JESUS AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN PART 2 (TRUE WORSHIP - WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH)

We are worshiping creatures by nature. It's why we were made. A glance around our world reveals a panorama of worship. Our culture alone includes an abundance of styles, a plethora of deities, a multiude of definitions, and myraid motives.
Considering the central role of worship in the life of a human being - is our entire reason for being, as well as the eternal activity of the saints in heaven, according to the WORD - we might do well to consider what God wants it to be like. Does He prefer informal or formal? Ritualistic or spontaneous? Noisy or quiet? Dignified or recklessly passionate? Nearly everyone has an opinion on these alternatives, but they aren't really the heart of the issue. What God desires most has less to do with how we express our worship than with the spirit behind it. In our adoration of our Creator, GOD SEEK INSPIRATION AND INTEGRITY, SINCERITY AND A SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE. HE WANTS OUR OUTWARD EXPRESSION TO MATCH OUR INWARD ATTITUDES. He wants us not to worship ignorantly, but to know who He is. HE WANTS US TO BE REAL.
That's hard for us. We fall into error so easily: We're either too emotional or not emotional enough, too rigid or too unstructured, too self-conscious or not self-aware enough. Most of all, we're apt to turn a worshipful heart into a routine behavior in the blink of an eye. What was sincere devotion yesterday is a performance for God's approval today. What was once an act of passion is now an act of obligation. Our hearts can grow cold faster than we ever thought.
What is your worship like? Is it a Sunday ritual or a frenzied emotion that you can put on and take off? Is it limited to one style of music or a particular church? Most important, is it more than skin-deep?
God seeks those whose worship emanates from deep within. He desires legitimate praise and integrity between the heart and mouth. He wants to be the One we treasure most. Most of all, He wants you. All of you.
(An extract from Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen)