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TRUTHFULNESS IN WORSHIP 

SCRIPTURE READINGS

DEUTERONOMY 26:1-11 

ROMANS 10:8-13 

LUKE 4:1-13 

SUNDAY REFLECTION

Truthfulness in worship is the theme for our reflection. Truthfulness is the quality of being honest. It refers to the moral character of a person who does not tell lies or live a deceptive life. Worship is a life of reverence, honour and homage to God. Worship in today’s reflection must not only be understood as what we do at church service or related to music. A life of worship is required in our relationship with God. We can therefore rephrase the theme as living a life of honesty to honour God. We shall elaborate on the following facts as we reflect on the theme: 

1. Our truthfulness is tested in times of temptation but the Word of God guides us to remain truthful. 
2. God sees our truthfulness in worship through the obedience of His Word. 
3. A truthful believer who calls on the Lord shall be saved. 

Firstly, there is one sure way our truthfulness will be tested and that is during the time of temptation. For Jesus to be proven that He is truly the Messiah and the Son of God, His truthfulness to the Father ought to be tested. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them, he was hungry. (Luke 4:1-2) Again, Jesus was found to be truthful in His life of worship to God because He knew the Word of God. The Word of God teaches us how to remain truthful in worship. We shall recall that anytime the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus will answer “…It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4), “…It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Luke 4:8), “…It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Luke 4:12). Dear friend in Lord we cannot run away from the test of truthfulness through temptations because even in the case of Jesus “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13). We must be on guard because our truthfulness could be tested through the entrapments and attractions of worldly things and their associated power and pride. We must develop a passion for the study of God’s Word and apply it in our daily lives to always keep us truthful even during times of temptation. Many Christians have failed the test of truthfulness in the temptations of bribery, corruption and all manner of immoral acts because they lack knowledge of God’s Word.

Secondly, merely reading God’s word and professing to be a believer is not enough to make us truthful in worship, God sees our truthfulness through the obedience of His Word. Truthfulness in worship was required from the Israelites in Deuteronomy 26:1-11. The Israelites were to harvest and send their first fruits as an offering to the Lord, they were to recount their history of salvation or God’s redemption of Israel in Egypt and honour God with part of their first fruits. They were commanded to “place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. (Deuteronomy 26:10-11). Beloved in the Lord without obedience to God’s Word we cannot please Him nor will He see our truthfulness. Cain failed in being truthful but Abel remained truthful to God when they brought their offerings before the Lord. Because Abel was truthful in worship or honouring God “The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering,  but on Cain and his offering, he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” (Genesis 4:4-5). Are you being truthful to God through obeying His Word by offering your best or total life to Him? Remember God looks with favour to those who are truthful in obedience to Him. 

Thirdly, if God favours those who are truthful then He rewards and saves a truthful believer. Paul gives us this assurance when He wrote to the Romans that “As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:11-13). In other words, salvation comes to those who have faith in the Lord and remain truthful in worship to Him.  Our faith and truthfulness should reflect in our life of worship to God.

In summary, beloved in the Lord, as we observe the lent season, we must yearn to be truthful in worship. The reflection has revealed to us that our truthfulness is tested during times of temptation, however, we should remember that the Word of God teaches us how to remain truthful in worship even when we face temptations. God sees our truthfulness in worship through obedience to His Word and last but not least, a truthful believer who calls on the Lord shall be saved. May the Holy Spirit empower us to remain truthful in worship even as we journey through the Lent season and beyond. Amen