John 4:24. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
1 Chronicles 16:29. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
The first thing God taught His people in the wilderness after the Exodus was worship. He commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle, which housed the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 26:1–37). Through this, God was teaching His people that experiencing and living in His presence through worship determines everything in life.
However, some people failed to recognize the importance of worship. For this reason, God commanded Joshua to keep a distance between the people and the ark (Joshua 3:4), emphasizing the holiness of His presence.
Likewise, when the Philistines took the ark, God’s hand was against them, bringing calamities and troubles (1 Samuel 5:1–12). When Uzzah unlawfully touched the ark, he was struck down (2 Samuel 6:1–8). When Michal despised in her heart King David dancing before the Lord as the ark entered the city, she remained barren for the rest of her life (2 Samuel 6:16–23).
Yet, God did not intend to bring terror to His people through the ark. Rather, He wanted them to understand the meaning and importance of worship. His message remains the same even today: failure in worship leads to failure in life.
In worship, God speaks to us through His servants. Therefore, those who deliver God’s message must not try to make it merely appealing or persuasive. Instead, they must wrestle in prayer, seeking the message God desires to give His people.
At the same time, as we receive the message, we must acknowledge God’s servants, no matter how lacking they may appear—because God Himself lacks nothing. They are simply messengers delivering what comes from heaven. Thus, we must focus not on the person, but on what God is saying to us during worship.
Tragically, when Miriam and Aaron failed to recognize Moses as God’s servant, Miriam was struck with leprosy (Numbers 12:1–10), and later Aaron led the people into idolatry by making the golden calf (Exodus 32:1–35). In the same way, we often miss God’s voice in obvious places. Therefore, we must continually pray for our pastors and those who labor for the sake of the gospel.
Before we worship, we must also understand the One we are worshiping. We live in an age of idolatry. People worship the creation rather than the Creator—they worship themselves, money, and pleasure. Even believers may appear religious while remaining ignorant of, or even rejecting, the power of the gospel (2 Timothy 3:1–5).
As a result, many worship without truly knowing the Triune God. God the Father fulfills His covenant through the Word. God the Son accomplishes the work of the Christ, breaking the power of Satan, sin, and hell. God the Holy Spirit applies the blessings of salvation and empowers us to stand as witnesses of Christ.
Therefore, the One we worship is the Almighty God—holy, eternal, and sovereign—who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8). He alone is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power (Revelation 4:11). He is the One to whom we sing a new song (Revelation 5:9–10). He is the Lamb who was slain, to whom belong all power, wealth, wisdom, and strength. He alone is worthy to receive honor, glory, and praise (Revelation 5:12–13).
This is the worship God desires—worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). It is worship led by the Spirit and grounded in the truth of the Word of God. Therefore, when we come before Him, we must remember:
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:1–2).
Begin your worship with praise, acknowledging who God is (Hebrews 13:15). Come before Him with confidence in prayer, understanding what takes place in the heavenly realms when you pray (Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3–4).
Be attentive to God’s Word with reverence and eager expectation (Psalm 78:1; Nehemiah 8:5–9). Give cheerfully and gratefully what belongs to God, from whom all blessings flow (Proverbs 3:9–10; Matthew 6:21; Malachi 3:10–12).
So then, are you struggling with life’s problems and challenges? Restore the blessing and joy of worship today.
When the disciples met the risen Christ, they worshiped Him (Matthew 28:17). In that moment, they recognized Jesus as the eternal God who is worthy of all worship. They were overwhelmed by the love of Christ, who laid down His life for them.
They witnessed the power of the resurrection. Through Christ, they experienced true freedom from Satan, sin, and hell. They saw that all authority in heaven and on earth belonged to Him. Their hearts, minds, and entire beings were captivated by Him.
This is what true worship is. When you truly know Jesus Christ, you cannot help but worship Him.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for the privilege of coming before You in worship. Restore to me the joy of worship in every circumstance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.