The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ) “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

- worship – Greek: proskuneo – literally, to prostrate oneself before in token of respect

In conversation with a Samaritan woman, Jesus is confronted with the issue of proper worship. His response is one, no doubt, unexpected by the Samaritan woman. Her focus is on where one ought to worship. Jesus responds with how one ought to worship and goes so far to say that the Father looks for the one who worships in spirit and truth, not in a temple, echoing the words of Isaiah the prophet (66:1-2):

“Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist, ” says the Lord “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word…”

To worship the Father in spirit and truth is to lay oneself prostrate before him and not rise again. It is to take up one’s cross and to lose one’s life for His sake, not to find it again. It is present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. We are to no longer animate our members with our fleshy motives and wisdom, but rather turn to Him to animate our members with His Spirit and truth. The life of the risen Christ, our Lord, is to saturate every part of our life, especially those places where our lives are most lived, at home. When we eat, it is not to fill our flesh but to do the will if Him who called us (John 4:34). When we drink, it is not to satisfy the thirst of our flesh, but to satisfy our thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and to fill ourselves with His cup of suffering (Mark 10:38-39) and of life (John 4:10). Whether we eat or drink, whether we wake or sleep, whatever we do, it is all to the glory of our Lord, to do His will (Matthew 7:21-23), to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

To say the least, these tasks cannot be accomplished in any one, specialized building or “holy” place during a set “holy” time on a set “holy” day. Rather, the practice of having “holy” buildings and “holy” times on “holy” days is wholly man-made in this day and age and is a hinderance, at its best, to the purposes of God.