We all have wondered now and again if someone’s heart was in their effort. Sometimes the passion just isn’t there. The condition of our heart is more important than we think. How’s your heart? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We continue to hang out at Jacob’s well with the lady we met there. Have you ever noticed how Jesus can get right to the heart of things? He knows what we really are feeling, not just what we let everyone else see. He knows what is in our heart.
There are times when we can tell someone’s heart isn’t in it. Most racers live with their emotions out on their sleeve. They are not very good at hiding what they really feel from the people around them. That is part of what makes racing exciting, you know when they talk to the driver you are going to get the uncut version with all the passion and emotion they have. That is what makes it real.
When the heart is missing, things fall flat. We see that in the polished, politically correct response in public comments today. Where is the passion? Are all the characters gone from racing? They are all polished up, say the politically correct things and everything looks like a well-rehearsed PR event. That is not what we watch for; we watch to see the raw emotion from passionate competitors who want to win. Who wants to see someone whose heart seems to be somewhere else? I enjoy when we see the true emotion and passion from a genuine display of what is in someone’s heart.
How about us, are we passionate about doing God? Is our heart in it? As we continue to explore this passage we learn that our heart is required to truly worship God.
John 4:16-30; He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Remember last week that Jesus offered this woman living water and she asked Jesus to give it to her. Jesus knew what this woman’s life was like and it was necessary for her to deal with her sin. He told her to go get her husband. She confessed she didn’t have one. Jesus explained to her how well He knew her life and how she lived it. Isn’t it funny that we think we can hide things from God? What happened next is a classic example of how we think we can avoid facing the truth by changing the subject.
The woman started comparing the Samaritans place of worship with the Jewish place and wanted Christ to tell her who was right. Jesus explained that the location didn’t matter, what matters is what is in your heart. The only worship that is acceptable is worship that is in spirit and truth. Let’s unpack that a little.
Jesus said it doesn’t matter what church you go to or what service you attend, what matters is what is in your heart. Are we worshiping in Spirit and in Truth? That means; does the Holy Spirit reside in your heart? Do you know Him? If not you can sing all the hymns, say all the prayers and attend the fanciest church you want; it is meaningless without the Spirit in your heart.
Also, Jesus said our worship doesn’t count if we are just going through the motions, we have to mean it; we have to be truthful. We can lie to ourselves about many things. Sometimes we don’t want to face the reality of what things really look like. When we tell ourselves lies long enough we start to think of them as truth. We cannot truly worship with that in our heart. We must worship in spirit and truth, then it is acceptable.
Let’s recap this encounter, the woman wanted to be saved, receive the living water. Before that could happen she needed to deal with the sin in her life. Jesus helped her to stop rationalizing her lifestyle and see it for what it was. When she faced it truthfully and acknowledged it she was forgiven. Her life was changed. How do we know that?
She came to the well in the middle of the day, when she wouldn’t have to face the sneers and jeers of the town’s people concerning the way she lived. This day she came face to face with the living God. He helped her understand the changes that needed to take place. When she accepted that where did she go? To the very people she was trying to avoid, the people in town, a different direction than the one she came from.
Do we see any similarities in our lives? Do we try to hide things from God and hope he doesn’t know who we really are? We need to face the truth, receive the Spirit and the forgiveness that he brings; then we can worship God freely, forgiven.
Or we can continue to go through the motions and tell ourselves we are doing the right thing. I ask you to search your heart this week. Ask yourself, how’s my heart? Am I full of the Spirit? Am I being truthful with myself and God?
Remember if you need to talk we are here, drop us a line. We would welcome the opportunity to help guide you along the road that leads to God. Have a blessed week.
HOME SWEET HOME- I am back! After over 3,542 miles and 62+ hours in the driver’s seat our Speedweeks journey is complete. Thank you to those who helped “Fuel the Rev”. When we start out on our journeys we head out not knowing where the road will take us but put our faith in God for direction on the road. We had many opportunities to touch the lives of others. We heard many stories of lives that have taken a different direction because of God’s influence. We had the opportunity to get out on the airwaves on the Good Morning Jesus radio show. God moved us to the places we needed to go and be there for the people we needed to be with. Thank you for your support in helping us on the road.
Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
