Wednesday | Week 3

As I contemplate this passage, there are a couple of things that cause me to ponder my posture of worship. First, am I truly a friend of the bridegroom, desiring to decrease, having Jesus increase? What is the condition of my heart? For if the Father desires His children to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, I must be truthful with myself in order to worship Him for Who He is; not what I stand to gain in my worship experience.

Too often worship becomes the atmosphere surrounding our praise, and we don’t feel like we’ve really worshiped God if there isn’t a euphoric experience. This would indicate that worship was all about selfishly receiving something from God for my benefit, instead of truly acknowledging and worshiping God as Creator, King of the Universe, Savior, Brother, Friend, Redeemer, Shepherd of my soul, and Lamb of God.

John the Baptist, in deep humility, saw his place as servant to the Messiah, thus increasing Jesus’ influence and decreasing his own personal witness. The Samaritan woman was still wrestling with her own sin that Jesus recognized, by changing the subject and exercising her knowledge of the place of worship. Once Jesus read her soul, the process of transformation began. She was free to witness, and then worship in Spirit and in truth.

So, I must ask myself: Am I trying to impress Jesus instead of allowing Him to read my soul and cleanse me, giving me a humble heart to worship Him for being my Lord and Savior? Will I surrender myself like John the Baptist, and truly divest myself of any fleshly desires of popularity or grandeur by placing Jesus in His rightful place as King? When I lay myself before God in humility and grace, then I can worship Him in Spirit and in truth. He will increase Himself through me, cleansing me with His living water, quenching my soul’s desire to commune with Him.

As you read His Word, allow His Word to read you. 

Lay yourself before Him, and rest in His grace.