In John 4:21-24, Jesus talks of the kind of worshippers God desires. Those that worship Him in spirit and truth.
As per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, worship is defined in two ways. First, it is show of reverence or honour to a divine being or deity. Secondly, it is to regard someone or something with great devotion, honour or respect.
From a Christian perspective, worship is a lifestyle that extends beyond singing songs in praise of God but to exhibit our love for Him by obeying His commands, not out of compulsion but from the depths of our hearts.
In the scripture quoted above, Jesus was talking to a Samaritan woman He had encountered at the well, reminding her that a true worshipper is not a pretender but one who is convicted of their love for God and is therefore wholeheartedly given to worshipping Him.
Unfortunately, as much as many Christians claim to love God, our actions and lifestyle never tally with what we say. I say this with a lot of humility — because I have been guilty on so many occasions — that many people only worship God for what He has to offer us.
We are more after the blessings than a genuine connection with the Blesser. In the Bible, an example of someone who did this was King Rehoboam, the fourth king of Israel.
The kingdom had just been torn away from him and was only left with Judah as God has decreed following his father, King Solomon's sins. However, God in His mercies — as recorded in 2 Chronicles 11 — enabled Rehoboam to fortify what was left of his kingdom.
However, 2 Chronicles 12 records that once Rehoboam was established as king and became strong, his heart strayed away from the Lord and he and his people committed evil.
This is something many of us can relate to. Once the Lord blesses us, we feel as if we do not need Him anymore for the journey ahead and therefore start leaning on our own strength.
As someone who has committed this sin before, woe unto you if you ever go down that path. Jeremiah 17:5 couldn't be more explicit on this: "Cursed is the one who trusts in mere man; who draws strength from mere flesh; and whose heart turns away from the Lord."
There will be no end of tribulations when God withdraws His spiritual hedge around you. In the case of Rehoboam and Judah, this problem came in the form of Shishak, king of Egypt, who proceeded to plunder the temple of the Lord and took away the treasures King Solomon had installed during his reign.
Let's always search our hearts with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. If there be any evil desires that may lead us away from God, may He direct us back to the right path of obedience.
