In Spirit and in Truth

I once worked with a vocal coach who knew how to get amazing results; he was very intimidating, actually. But he was unforgettable. One of the greatest gifts he gave me was the lesson about the connection between my words and my heart. By lesson, here’s what I mean:

I was 22 years old and a very timid singer. During rehearsal one day, I was standing alone on a stage singing an emotional song, though the emotion that was being displayed by my shaking legs and nervous voice didn’t exactly reflect the beautiful message of the lyrics. I remember him literally yelling at me from the middle of the theater as he walked toward me intently, “You’re lying! You’re lying!” Confused, I stopped, and he commanded me to keep going, which I did. Again, and clearly angry, he interrupted me to repeat his complaint as I labored on. When I finally made it through the song, he drove a message home to me that I’ll never forget.

My song was about the beauty and the wonder of love, and the power of a journey that had set my heart free. He taught me that in order to sing it, I must know those things in my heart. If my heart doesn’t believe it, then I have no business standing up and singing those words. That principle has taken deep root in my heart. It was such a great offense to him, who highly valued music. If someone could feel that strongly about the integrity of the finale of a college musical, how much greater should I feel wholehearted about every song I sing to my God and Savior?

Jesus said,

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth.¹”

We, who have the honor and responsibility of singing the praises of God, are the worshipers who are called to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Though I am certain that God does not have the same heart or response as did my vocal coach, I imagine He must feel something when we sing his praises with a heart that is divided. There are countless reasons our hearts may be divided when we sing to Him; we may be distracted, due to hurt, pain, numbness, doubt, pride, fear, anger, weariness…any number of things. But the Bible encourages us to purify our hearts to worship God in Spirit and in truth. Why is that?

Every rule, command and instruction we receive from God is given to us “that it may go well with [us],²” and that we may receive blessings. I have experienced, many times, the freedom that comes from wholeheartedly worshiping God through a burdened heart. When I make the conscious choice to turn my heart over to God, such as it is, I find deliverance…even freedom.

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ³”

And not only do we receive freedom for our hearts, but the Bible says that God actually inhabits our praises.⁴ We essentially have the opportunity for true communion with God, when we praise Him!

Friends, let us choose to receive the blessings that God has set aside for us, by worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth, finding freedom for our hearts and intimacy with the One who created the Heavens and the Earth.

God be praised!!

Chinue Joy Black

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Footnotes:

¹ John 4:23-24

² Deuteronomy 4:40, 5:16, 6:3, 6:18, 12:25, 12:28, 19:13, 22:7, Jeremiah 7:23

³ 2 Corinthians 3:16-17

⁴ Psalm 22:3, King James Version