Worship Devotional - "Worship Is Not Limited to a Building"

Key Scripture: "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.'" - John 4:21

Reflection

The Samaritan woman brought up the subject of worship by stating that the Samaritan fathers worshiped on Mount Gerazim, but she knew that Jerusalem was the place where the Jews worshiped. The place of worship was an issue for her.

Jesus immediately used this point to show the essence of New Testament worship that much of the church is still trying to understand. He made it clear that the place of worship is no longer important with respect to any mountain or temple. This was a dramatic statement since worship was always centered around the temple.

Jesus was saying that worship was no longer restricted to the temple but was rather a lifestyle that could be practiced anywhere at any time. God is everywhere all the time and always ready to receive our worship. As Psalm 34:1 declares, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

This does not mean we abandon the local church as a place of worship. On the contrary, we must find a local church and be planted so that we can flourish. The local church should be the place where we demonstrate our worship lifestyle in a corporate setting. Worship should not be something we have to be "worked up" to do in church but a natural extension of the lifestyle we have developed on an ongoing basis.

Today's Challenge

Practice worshiping God in an unexpected place today—in your car, at your desk, while walking, or doing household tasks. Break free from the idea that worship requires a specific location.

Prayer

Father, I thank You that I can worship You anywhere and at any time. You are not confined to a building, and neither is my worship. Today I choose to make my whole life a place of worship—at home, at work, and everywhere I go. Amen.