I am always amazed at the trappings we are humans put on God. No where is this more evident than in the area of worship, especially corporate worship. Humanity is really good a determining what needs to be included or excluded as a part of worship. Some would say only hymns out of the book will work for true worship. While on the flip side others will say, that it is only through non-traditional music that we approach God. Huge arguments have broken out over the issue of what is worship, and in the end everyone is wrong and everyone is right.
In John 4 Jesus has an encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. In the midst of discussing her sorted past she changes the topic to talk about worship. It is clear that so called worship wars have been around for a long time. Isn't at least a little ironic to have something called a worship war, seems somehow... wrong. The discussion this woman and Jesus have regards the topic of true worship, the who, what, where etc.. Jesus is real clear, all that other stuff doesn't matter. What matters is the condition of your heart and life.
Many have used this passage to highlight the connection Jesus has will "outsiders" and it is true. Others have used this passage to talk about women as evangelists. And yes this passage has been used to talk about worship. Having said that, worship or any of the rest of it is not the point. the point is humanity does not get to define God. Now, that has not stopped us from trying. No matter how often and certain we are of our definition of God, it does not change who God is. Though we try and try, God is not made in our image. God is not bound to our limited understanding, God is so much bigger.
The passage in John 4 is really about asking how big is your God. What limits do you place on the God of the universe? I want to encourage all of us to expand the view we have of God.
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