JOHN 4:23

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

TO PONDER

This verse may not seem like much to us but it was a HUGE thing for Jesus to say. Israelites and Samaritans had been arguing for generations about whether you had to be at the Jerusalem temple for your worship and sacrifices to be valid. Jesus is basically saying, "now that I am here, none of that matters any more!"

We can often be guilty of thinking about the Bible as a book full of old stories (and that is certainly part of what the Bible contains) but the reality is that the Bible is a book which speaks to us today just as it did to those who first wrote and read the words those thousands of years ago. See how Jesus says, "a time is coming and has now come" - that means now. The time has come, Jesus has come into the world and because of that we don't need temples, we don't need to go find God in a temple or a church, because he has come to us. All that's left for us to do is worship him in spirit and in truth.

Now's the time - Let's worship him!!!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, You are worthy of all our thanks and praise. May every time be an opportunity to praise and worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle