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Even as the Spirit of God leads you into all truth, may the blessing of God that is overflowing and overwhelming flow into your life, that you may be a blessing – The Lord bless you from Zion; And may you see the peace, the prosperity of Jerusalem, All the days of your life. [Psalms 128:5,6] The blessing of God expresses itself as a spiritual maturity that is yours, as you focus upon the word to make you more and more conformed to the image of Christ, even as you are transformed by what you think, to have an attitude that is Christ-like. [Philippians 3:15] And a mature lifestyle, that is the blessing of God is characterized by the words of the apostle Paul thus – For, we are the true circumcision or the mature, who a] Worship in the Spirit of God, b] And boast in Christ Jesus, c] And have no confidence in the flesh. [Philippians 3:3]
The true worshipper:
But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. [John 4:23,24] They were the words of the Lord Jesus, to the Samaritan woman, defining the nature of true worship, that the Father seeks of you and I. The key criteria is that you need to be born again. For – God is Spirit; and you and I are spirit beings, living in a physical body, and having a soul. And true worship can happen in you, only when you are born again; when your spirit that was separated from God, is reawakened by the Spirit of God, to become a child of God, having the privilege of calling God, ‘Abba Father’. It is the truth that is confirmed in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit who then is in you. It is how you become the true worshipper whom the Father seeks, to worship based on truth and led by the Spirit. And worship is not confined to the few hours that you spend in church. For, it encompasses every hour and every aspect of your life. It was visibly demonstrated in the Lord’s encounter with Satan, the temptation that He faced in the wilderness.
Material possessions vs. divine purpose:
‘If you then will worship me, it will all be yours’, were the words of Satan to the Lord, as he in a flash showed Him all the kingdoms of the world that were given to him, on account of Adam’s fall. [Luke 4:5-7] It points out the need even in you and I, to have a right understanding and attitude towards material wealth. The world system operates in buying and selling, with money being the medium of exchange. And it is not having money, but the love of money, that leads to all kinds of evil. The Savior’s response, as He overcame the temptation of the devil, points the way, the weapon of God that is the written word, and the right attitude that needs to be in you and me – Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him’. [Luke 4:8] What overrides all temporal calculations are the purposes of God. It happens when God enlightens you about the need to serve only God. For, when you serve Him, money will serve you. But, in a fallen world, when you edge God out, to serve money, then you will end up becoming its slave. Worship, therefore, extends far beyond the hands lifted in church, to include our hands that are stretched forth in service, any day and every day, not just on Sunday, but all through the week.
Serving in spirit and truth:
Do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts. [Ephesians 5:19] It is the expression of worship in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And the necessity of it also being in the rich fullness of the truth of the word of God, is written in the scriptures to Let the word of God dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and with gratitude in your hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. [Colossians 3:15] The tune and tone of your song matter to an extent, but a virtuoso performer’s singing, will in no way compare to the song that arises from you, when it is an expression of a heart touched by God, singing in His grace. Focusing on His goodness will make you glad as you enter His presence with gratitude and thankfulness, even as it was the psalmist’s experience. Indeed the grace of God has bestowed in estimable benefits, both big and small, upon our lives that we only need to open our hands to receive from Him in faith.
The worship progression:
1] In your work – And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. [Colossians 3:17] Talent, opportunity, and grace come from the Lord to you, and ‘Monday blues’, need not be what you feel, for your worship of God in the Spirit continues even in your workplace and home, flooding and empowering you with the knowledge that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. He has placed you in the right place at the right time so that His blessings may flow into your life. It is no longer about merely managing, but fulfilling your divine purpose and calling for the glory of God.
2] In your relationships – Worshiping at home in your relationships is about exhibiting love, valuing, and honoring the members of your family. Challenges will be there in its path, highlighting the need for the grace of God to be enabled and empowered.
For, God is love:
In the golden chapter on love, in the scriptures, what love does, is enunciated very simply and clearly, to show what love is. [1 Corinthians 13] Therefore, having professed your love to your spouse, and committing to a loving relationship with your child, your parent, and all your loved ones, what needs to be the nature of your behavior towards them, has also been shown. It is that wives may be subject unto their husbands, as unto the Lord; that husbands will not treat their wives with harshness, but with love, that fathers may not exasperate their sons, and children may be obedient unto their parents for it is fitting unto the Lord. [Colossians 3:18,19] And being patient, kind, having no account of wrongdoing, but looking at the painful events of the past, with God’s perspective are all the hallmark of God’s love becoming the instrument of your relationship, an extension of your worship of God, of serving Him only. And in your times of challenge, that seem to be quite beyond your capacity and ability, you have a Helper. You can depend on the Holy Spirit, through whom the love of God has been poured into your heart, that you may reign in life, through the One Man Jesus Christ. [Romans 5:17] And, it is not, ‘Lord, what will I do?’, but, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’, can be the query of your heart, in every situation, leaning on His understanding, to worship Him and serve Him only, in spirit and truth, to be the true worshipper whom the Father seeks. O Father, We thank thee for Your awesome presence, and the powerful word that You have spoken unto us this day. Enable us, we pray, to depend on You, to worship You with all that You have blessed us with, for giving us Your Son, our King, the Savior who has removed our sins on the Cross, to rise again in glory. And may our lives be fruitful that You and only You may be glorified. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
