Be still and know that I am God. Ps 46:10 (NIV)

Worship Him – Worship and Water Series – Part 4

Go to  PART 1  |  PART 2  |  PART 3  |  PART 4  |  PART 5  |  PART 6  |  PART 7  |  PART 8

Brennan Manning said that worship “is primarily listening. Like the Psalm says, “Be still and know that I am God.” “And Know,” is the experience.”

Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24). The “truth” part that Jesus was talking about is like the “and know” that Brennan was talking about: it’s the experience.

Jesus was not saying that to worship God we must do it knowing the whole truth about God. That doesn’t make sense. In a life lived by faith, which is at the very core of Christianity, how can we KNOW the complete TRUTH about God?

Jesus was talking about another kind of truth, one that’s more close to home.

The Greek word for truth used here is “Aletheia” and subjectively it means, “Truth as a personal experience.” Objectively, Alethia is the truth and/or reality that is taught. In other words, it's something that we learn. Like a Rabbi would teach his disciple by taking him on the road with him so he could learn in the living. It's the experience, the journey; wisdom gleaned, the life we’ve lived. Our truth.

Worship God in spirit and truth – experience him for yourself. Bring all the pieces of your life before him. Honest and open: “Here it is God, all of it.”
Worship him out of the depths of your own experience and life.
Worship him with the heart of a student, ready to learn, teachable and vulnerable.
Worship him with a vulnerability that acknowledges your own frailty and embraces his grace.

You will never arrive at THE truth. As vast and deep and wide and high as God is, so is truth. And when you mix his truth into our lives, that's an exploration that extends beyond the limitations of our humanity.

Worship is ultimately an exchange of love. His for us, and ours for him. It's a dance, a collaborative piece of art. Listening, knowing and experiencing God; his living water that sustains us, his love that transforms us, and his spirit that flows within and all around us.

Our relationship with the Divine is one that can bear the full brunt of life, carry its width and breadth. It can go the distance and heights, and stays close and still. God is there in the dark and hopeless, he is there in the sunshine and fun. He is near to the broken-hearted, and dances with the joyful. He gives strength to the weak and wisdom to all. To worship God is to engage in this relationship, to accept and receive his love, and then live-in-love with him in our day-to-day lives in the practical and unknowable.

Worship connects us to wonder, it opens our eyes to the divine and gives voice to the deep yearning of our souls. There is no right way, words, form, or place to worship, there is just time for it. Don’t let the pursuit of theology, security, of being right, of having all your I’s dotted and T’s crossed (whatever you perceive ‘truth' to be) steal away your ability to be filled with awe and wonder. Allow yourself to be surprised by grace when you stare into the heart of God.

And we haven’t even talked about music.

Yet.

Over to you… We want to hear what worship means to you. Leave us a comment below.

Go to Part 5 – Presence and Flow »

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