"Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." John 4:20,21
As is my Sunday custom, I woke early and slipped out the door before sunrise for a run to enjoy some time alone with the Lord before church. And while I have heard the words of Andy Chrisman many times before on the Christian radio station I love listening to during this time, yesterday I really heard what he said. "This is worship," implying that believers all around the world were worshiping right where they were through the melody and words of the praise music being played. And while, I thought, inspired melodies could certainly help bring us to a state of worship, music wasn't really necessary for it. In fact, worship should not be confined to a playlist, a building, a day or a time but something we, as believers, should be doing constantly no matter where we are or what's around us.
And Jesus wanted to make that point so clear that when the Samaritan women he met at the well asked him where the proper place to worship was, whether on the mountain as their ancestors did or in Jerusalem as the Jews claimed, he gave her a startling answer, "a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." You see, the location of where we go to worship is not near as important as our attitude in doing so. And that attitude, or way of thinking and feeling, is a heart, mind and soul completely surrendered to God-loving and praising him with our whole being whether we are at home, at work, running down the road or in a church building.
So yes, let us exalt and praise him where we are for who he is because worship, Jesus reminds us, isn't an event to attend but a lifestyle to be lived.
Heavenly Father, thank you for being worthy of all our worship. May we strive to grow so close to you that worship becomes such a natural part of our lives that it becomes like breathing... constant, steady and crucial to living. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
And Jesus wanted to make that point so clear that when the Samaritan women he met at the well asked him where the proper place to worship was, whether on the mountain as their ancestors did or in Jerusalem as the Jews claimed, he gave her a startling answer, "a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." You see, the location of where we go to worship is not near as important as our attitude in doing so. And that attitude, or way of thinking and feeling, is a heart, mind and soul completely surrendered to God-loving and praising him with our whole being whether we are at home, at work, running down the road or in a church building.
So yes, let us exalt and praise him where we are for who he is because worship, Jesus reminds us, isn't an event to attend but a lifestyle to be lived.
Heavenly Father, thank you for being worthy of all our worship. May we strive to grow so close to you that worship becomes such a natural part of our lives that it becomes like breathing... constant, steady and crucial to living. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
The heart of worship - Matt Redman
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