Has Jesus found someone in you, who He can give a deep understanding to, and who would listen to Him?

Stephen Bennett
Stephen Bennett

Imagine Jesus walking into Starbucks, sitting down on the couch, latte in hand, reading the daily paper. He sort of did that 2000 years ago in His search for true worshippers - a story that resonates even today. Jesus came to a woman at a well - He was looking for an intimate heart, someone honest, (John 4). She had spent five marriages searching for intimacy, and was now living with a bloke. At this 'Starbucks' watering hole of two millennia past, Jesus found someone whom He could give a deep understanding to, and who would listen to Him. Prior to this, at His own temple in Jerusalem, Jesus had 'beaten up' His priests, for among other reasons, they had lost the kiss of life! They had become merchandisers of The Truth: false representatives, religious sons of the devil - He hated that (John Chapter 2: 16-17). This was not the nice, porcelain, statue Jesus, found in musty buildings. This was The Guy - the Savior of the world - the one who meant business.

He had to go to the Hello Magazine's multi-married lady of the day at a Starbucks Well near you; To find someone who could handle the truth, dig it, take it on board and tell everyone else about this amazing guy called Jesus Christ - the knarly Chippie from Nazareth who happened to have some info that was going to change the world! He basically said to her, "I will give you a well of life; the passion that you need, the fire that needs no fuel, the river of life that never stops, the real reason to shout and sing out loud". He spoke right into her deep hidden hunger for intimacy, and her quest for spiritual truth in what is real. "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" John 4: 24. He gave her a revelation of spirit and truth. Today God is seeking the same at every coffee shop, business, school, university, home, and heart in this world.

The result of living and worshipping God this way literally means being a major blast of fresh air in life! This premium breath of freshness, is the Spirit of God permeating all you are and do: the way you think, eat, dress, treat yourself and others - your attitude to every thing. Paying your bills on time. Being honest. Having integrity, being truthful and open. Doing a great job at work, as unto the Lord, is worship! Worship is not something you just do on a Sunday morning. It's something you are, something you become: a breath of fresh air, salt in the earth, water to hungry souls, living properly in peace and joy on earth - because God is good and rich to all who believe in Him. Of course music and song has a unique place in the high expression of worshipping with praises to God, but you can't have one without the other. Bring it all together, and you are having something ultimately powerful and prophetic. From a place of intimacy you will hear the sounds and music strategies of heaven, and bring them to earth. Sounds that God's Spirit and heart will live in and ultimately affect your world. True worshippers are intimate with God - they have a lifestyle of spirit and truth - given to the purposes of God. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.