Jan 10, 2021
Scripture Reading: John 4:24
One of the great dangers of a worship service (or even private worship) is that its activities can be done out of routine. There is an external form of worship … singing, praying, communion, giving. But it is possible to do all those activities without the heart being engaged. This was one of the recurring sins of the people of Israel (cf. Isa 1:10-15; Mt 23:23).
Jesus said that true worship is worship that is done "in spirit and in truth" (Jn 4:24). 'Truth' is a reference to the head. Genuine worship must be built on right thinking or what is true. There cannot be true worship if it is built on what is false. 'Spirit' is a reference to the heart. There cannot be true worship if there is no response deep within the heart.
The Scripture speaks of affections when it speaks about encountering God. There is the emotion of reverence (Psa 2:11; Heb 12:28,29); the emotion of humility (Psa 34:2); the emotion of longing (Psa 42:1; 143:6); and the emotion of joy (Psa 16:11; 1 Pet 1:8).
Worship is not just an academic experience. It is also an emotional experience. How can a person really encounter the infinite, living God and not feel awe and humility and yearning and joy? When our hearts are stirred deeply by the presence of God, then we see that worship is the delight of all delights to the human soul. May God keep us from being so stuffed with the 'white bread' of our culture that we have no hunger for the pleasures of the infinite God.