The “Must” of Spiritual Worship
23But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”—John 4:23-24
Our Savior tells us that the Father “seeketh” such to worship Him; and the grave question for us all is whether He ever bends over us, as we kneel, receiving as grateful incense the ascriptions of our worshiping love. He hears us babble in petitions, which we may have uttered for years! He hears our intercession for others, which are an expression of human affection! But does He often hear the outburst of worship and praise from hearts that have obeyed the psalmist injunction to join in the universal chant arising from the unfallen universe? To this the psalmist calls us when he says, “O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
Let us kindle our hearts to praise by listening, as Isaiah did to the chant of the seraphim—“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory”; or by listening to the song of the virgin-mother; “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour”; or by listening as John did to the out-circling song of heaven, beginning with the inner circle of the redeemed, and reaching out to every created thing, which is in the heaven, and on earth, and the sea! “Unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be blessing and the honour, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen! And the elders fell down and worshipped” (Revelation 5:13-14 RV).
In order to incite our sluggish souls to worship, we may recite aloud the Psalms, or the Te Deum or any of the great hymns of the church. But, best of all, it is for the soul to pour out its adoring gratitude and love in its own glad words. “We give Thee thanks for our creation, preservation, and for all the good things in our lives, but above all for the redemption of our world by our Lord Jesus Christ and for our own adoption into eternal union with Thyself.” —F. B. Meyer
Journal:
- How frequently do I spontaneously break out in worship of the Lord?
- What prevents me from living a life of open worship?
Prayer – Forgive me, Father, for lacking in my worship of You. You are so worthy of all my worship and praise, yet I rarely take the time to allow myself to ponder all You have done for me. Help me to live constantly in a spirit of adoration, praise, and worship. In Jesus’ mighty and precious name, Amen.
