Why Are You Here?

John 4:1-30

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24

Fitness centers love the start of a new year. Season after season, it proves to be a time when people looking to lose weight or get in shape buy memberships with great intentions. By the end of January, most of the new comers fall away.

I've never had the inclination to join a gym, so I'll have to make my best guess as to what happens in the mind of someone who does. I often wonder if many people join for a time, but living an active lifestyle really wasn't what they were seeking in the first place. They signed on for some other reason, be it to lose a few pounds or to better their overall health. Their motives were elsewhere besides the activity itself.

As Jesus speaks with this Samaritan woman, she begins talking about the Jews worshipping in Jerusalem and how her people worship on some mountain. Jesus almost seems to cut her off. It would seem that to her, worship had much to do with trivial things such as place. In response, Jesus' words are a kind of correction.

He speaks of worshipping in spirit and truth. Worship is a word we often use to describe expressing our love and adoration for God. He didn't elaborate for us, but I surmise that what he is saying means something like this, "I care less about where you worship, but more about why you're there." This is bigger than 'going to church', but let's run with it shall we?

Although I detest the language of it, 'going to church' seems to be the default phrase we use and place we go when we want to connect with God. I believe it fair to say that some churches are better than others, but God is more concerned about the spirit and truth we live by than the address we arrive at. He places very little value whether we meet with Him at this mountain, or in that city, and much value on what's really going on in our hearts.

As for the spirit, we looked last chapter at how we are to be born again if we are to even see the kingdom of heaven. His spirit wants to be at home in us, expressing an authentic love for Him.

As for truth, He wants us to worship Him in sincerity. Just as people are often found to exercise not because they want the activity, but rather to lose weight; so too we can offer a form of quasi worship when we're really after something else.

Our motives are often decent, just as losing weight is a decent objective. The church can be a place we turn when our life is falling apart. (And if your world is in peril, I hope you do find comfort among us). It can be a place we head in order to feel better about a guilty conscience. The message of forgiveness we find there can sound like good news, even when we really don't want to be changed. The church offers a community of support for those who show up. These are good things. Could we agree on that?

Some of you have had people in your life, not because they were interested in you, but for what they thought they could get from you. God will not be used. You're 5 days into this journey. I trust for you, that you're here in truth. You're here for the right reasons, and something within you really is interested in walking with Christ. My prayer is that this would outlast your gym membership.

For you and I – This blog is our meeting place at the moment. Are we here for Christ, or for something else?