“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

(John 4:21-26)

Being involved with worship at my church has opened many doors for me spiritually. It gives me a creative outlet through the instruments I play and provides a different tone in which I experience worship. Recently, however, I have been drawn to the topic of what it is to worship in a truly authentic way, rather than simply going through the motions and habits proven every Sunday.

I became interested in the concept of what true worship was, and how one could enter embrace it. I was prompted with the fundamental question, what is worship? Worship can be expressed through a multitude of things such as the beauty of nature, the different unique way in which animals look or act, or the way in which we spend our time. Worship, however, in the traditional and spiritual sense is the cultivation of your body, mind, and spirit all joined in union under the creator. Similarly to the Trinity, we lay ourselves down unitively (body, mind, and spirit), before the throne room of God.

One may know what the act of worship is, but what becomes of the individual when they enter a time of worship remains far more shadowed in retrospect.  In John 4:21-26, Jesus describes how we are not to enter worship in a physical place, rather, a spiritual place because he is the definition and cultivation of Spirit and Truth. Through the act of worshiping in a purely spiritual way, we inherently are drawn closer to God as his spirit communes with ours.

Conceptually, the act of worship has been a very holy thing since the start of the church. However, it has never occurred to me personally that worship is an act one should take part continually throughout their lives. John Piper says that apart of true worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things. This made me reflect on the way I live my life day by day, and what some of the areas in which I am lacking in spiritual worship. Is it not devoting my time in the morning to reading the Bible or going through devotions? Or is it the small things, such as receiving words of affirmation from a friend or co-worker and not thanking God for the gifts and opportunities he has given me. A strong part of authentic worship is placing God above everything else continually and consistently.

This call is obviously much harder than it looks, or else, we as a nation and people would be in a much better place. As Christians, Christ requires us to lift our cross for our entire lifetime. He doesn’t guarantee it will be non-burdensome. It is quite the opposite. Our walk as Christians is filled with pain, suffering, and hardship, all in the name of the one who took death onto himself for us. Relating this to authentic worship, it is apparent that achieving this is not easy. It takes constant faith that is tested and stretched as our spirits reach towards Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through this spiritual suffering and through faith, we as Christians believe that the Lord will lift us up and into his holy presence.

As we internalize what worship is and what some of the callings Christ has ingrained in us, the question remains: “what becomes of you in a physical, mental, and spiritual state as you breakthrough and enter into true worship?” When we have praised Him and offered a throne for him to reside on in our hearts, then we have come to the destination: the throne room of the Father, with Christ seated at his right hand, in the holy presence of Mount Zion. At this very moment, our praises quiet before they are slowly yet so rapidly turned into pure worship. Worship is what has your complete attention, focus, and devotion. It can be portrayed not just in Church every Sunday morning, rather, it can be expressed through the smalls details of daily life. I have come to find that worship in its simplest form is giving honor and respect to a person or object. Some might picture a traditional Catholic mass. Someone kneeling down, giving praises to God as a particular definition and application of worship. However, it is far more complex than that. That is why it is so easy to worship things such as cars, money, attention, etc… It doesn’t only mean we bow to it, it means that those objects get our attention, devotion, and focus. In the case of worshiping God, it means that we are giving him our full, undivided attention, as well as worth and honor. Here, at this point in time where the objects are dethroned from our psyche and God is placed on the throne of our hearts. This is the moment where the atmosphere changes, where God’s anointing is poured over us, granting us the spiritual gifts brought through by the Holy Spirit.

While we enter into this true worship, our spirits (metaphorically) extend and reach out towards heaven, where God is seated in His splendor. Our physical bodies remained restricted by the laws of the universe, however, our spirits are free from those limitations. As we do this, our spirits are connected with the Holy Spirit at the throne room of God, as we enter into true communal and authentic worship.

I will leave you with this question: What are some of the things in life that are prohibiting you from basking in the Spirit of worship? I will let you fill in the blanks, however, a great Theologian once said that we must delve into our inner selves, root out what is causing a disconnect, and re-align with the truth in order to truly grow and develop the way God has intended for us.

As for me, I realize the growth process will never cease to continue. No matter the distance I traverse over the course of my days, I am constantly reminded of the mercy and patience God has for me as I continually stumble and fall flat on my face in failure. He will never stop wanting us to enter into his presence whether it be through the medium of worship, prayer, or service. I pray that you, my reader would choose to place God on the highest seat of your heart, allowing you to access the holy gift of true worship.