January 5 | Isaiah 29:13-16

Dave Mann
2 days ago
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

What is True Worship?

By Dave Mann

If you are a regular reader of these devotional meditations, you no doubt have already noticed that we read this same text recently in November. However, this is not needless repetition. There are many aspects to God’s Word that cannot be fully understood in a single reading.

Isaiah points out to us that simply going through the motions of the rite of worship is not the full measure of true worship of the living God. Certainly, making time to be with the people of God on Sunday morning is part of true worship. Participating in the worship songs is important. Listening to the proclamation of the Bible’s message is key. But more than that, our hearts need to be attuned to the Holy Spirit who wants to awaken our hearts to understand what God’s message is for us.

We may have heard the Bible text many times. We may be tempted to think that there is nothing new for us. God’s Word never changes but we do. Our prayer as we arrive in God’s house should be something akin to, “Lord, even if I have heard these words before, please allow my heart to hear what you want to communicate to me this day.”

Several hundred years after Isaiah wrote these words we now identify as chapter 29, Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Even as they discussed what location is the preferred place to pray to God – whether Mt. Zion in Jerusalem or Mt. Gerizim in Samaria – Jesus turned the conversation away from things external to the attitude of the heart (John 4:23-24).

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. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

We may prefer recently composed worship songs or classic hymnody. We may prefer robes, stoles, and altar cloths to acknowledge that worship is special. Or we may prefer ordinary street clothes to convey the message that the pastor is like the rest of us. We can discuss the merits of one or the other. But all that is for

naught if we do not open our hearts to what the Spirit says to us through his Word and Sacrament.

May we listen to the Spirit to guard our hearts from mere lip service. May we rather render heartfelt and sincere worship, in Spirit and in truth.

PRAYER

O Holy Spirit, may our hearts be open to your leading to worship you truly, to confess our sin, and to honor the only One worthy of praise and glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of seven. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.