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. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4: 23-24 ESV
“We are impressive, Andre! Ready fifty minutes ahead of schedule.” After two nights of camping, we packed the car, cleaned the campsite, and set off to explore Baxter State Park.
I set up the basic parameters for our Maine trip but did not plan each day in detail. This is unlike me. I like to have a plan and stick to the program. Andre is the opposite. “I’m flexible and up for whatever,” he responded when I asked him what he wanted to do.
We drove north on the coastal highway on the first day. A surprise lunch led to red Adirondack chairs eating under the blue sky and looking at the water. We landed in Acadia National Park on day two. The woman at the visitor center suggested a hike up Cadillac Mountain. A walk up the north ridge and down the south bank transpired. Vistas of the harbors, the Pacific Ocean, and the mountaintops speckling the horizon left us in awe.
As we approached Baxter State Park, Mount Katahdin consumed the sky in front of us. The 200,000-acre park provided a framework for us to worship the Creator in his creation. Andre’ picked South Turner Mountain, 3,200 vertical feet in two miles that left our legs shaky and tired. Every step was worth it and felt Spirit-led.
Jesus lived his life within a framework – the Torah teachings (Truth) and his Father’s leading (Spirit). But he was not rigid nor bound by man-made laws and religiosity. He often stopped and welcomed those in his path along his intended routes, even when it meant a delay on his journey.
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Spirit and Truth work together with fluidity and offer the framework of true worship to our Father.
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One such moment happened when Jesus headed back to Galilee on the unexpected route through Samaria instead of around Samaria. The disciples would have had concerns; this didn’t fit their plan. It was here, with a Samaritan woman, that Jesus announced that true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and truth. Why did he say this, and why in Samaria?
The Jews equated true worship only happening in Jerusalem. The Samaritans worshiped on the same mountain as Jacob. Jesus declares it’s not about the place but the who. God desires to be worshiped in spirit, with a sincere mind, with a true heart, not with mere external rites. And he demands truth, where our words and conduct declare the existence and will of the one true God.
Worshiping God is sacred. Sometimes a specific plan enhances our worship, and it’s okay to leave room to worship in spirit. Spirit and Truth work together with fluidity and offer the framework of true worship to our Father.
Prayer: Lord, help us seek sweet moments to worship you in spirit and truth.