Verse of the Day - weekend 2/20

Through the Bible - Exodus 7-11, Mark 16, 1 Thessalonians 1

 

Good morning,

A few years ago singer and songwriter Shawn Groves performed at our church.  He also spent some time with our small group leaders.  His topic was worship.  The Bible passage that he referenced was John and the woman at the well.  He mentioned that the word worship in John 4:24 actually could be translated "toward dog", actually the picture of God reaching to the dog that is happy to come to his master, to please him.

 

We'll go there for this weekend's verse.

 

John 4:23 But  the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father  in spirit and  truth, for the Father  is seeking such people to worship him.  24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."   ESV

I recently heard a sermon from John Piper which brought this to mind.  He shared a story how he and his young son (at the time), went to visit a friend.  They pulled into the driveway got out of the car and approached the house.  As they came closer a big dog burst through the screen door and started coming towards them.  The dog was as tall standing on all fours as the boy who turned to run towards his dad.  The owner called out, don't run away from him, he doesn't like it when people run from him.  He was instructed to stand still and let the dog approach and that if the boy would reach out, even wrap his arms around the dog's neck that he would be his friend.

 

Was there a time in your life when God was coming towards, calling you?  Were you tempted to run from him to go the other way?  God doesn't like it when people run away, can you think of Jonah?

 

The word for worshipper literally means "adorer".  Stop and think about that and the attitude in your heart as you go to worship.

 

The Interlinear Bible gives this definition to the Greek word for "worship":  NT:4352  proskuneo (pros-koo-neh'-o); from NT:4314 and a probable derivative of NT:2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): 

 

As you go to worship this weekend or any time, will this be your attitude in coming to Jesus Christ to revere and adore?

 

The beautiful thing is that it is a two way street. We will find joy and happiness when we seek Him in spirit and in truth.  This brings to mind another favorite quote from John Piper, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".

Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To Thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys with Thee.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
John 4:7-26

 

7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her,  "Give me a drink."  8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" ( For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you  living water."  11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12  Are you greater than our father Jacob?  He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,  14 but  whoever drinks of the water that I will give him  will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become  in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  15 The woman said to him, "Sir,  give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."

 

16 Jesus said to her, "Go,  call your husband, and come here."  17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband';  18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true."  19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that  you are  a prophet. 20  Our fathers worshiped on  this mountain, but you say that  in Jerusalem is  the place where people ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her,  "Woman, believe me,  the hour is coming when  neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.  22  You worship what you do not know;  we worship what we know, for  salvation is  from the Jews.  23 But  the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father  in spirit and  truth, for the Father  is seeking such people to worship him.  24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."  25 The woman said to him, "I know that  Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes,  he will tell us all things." 26 Jesus said to her,  "I who speak to you am he."
ESV