Why God Seeks True Worshippers

By Pastor George Kingsley Judah

One of the most remarkable statements about worship appears in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman: “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:23). The Father is seeking worshippers. But why would the God who created heaven and earth seek worshippers? God lacks nothing. He does not become greater when we praise Him or smaller when we fail to do so. Understanding why He seeks worshippers takes us to the heart of biblical worship.

When we hear the word worship today, our thoughts often turn immediately to singers, musicians, choirs, worship teams, and church services. These can all have an important place, but Jesus did not say the Father is seeking singers or musicians. He said the Father is seeking worshippers. A person may possess an extraordinary voice and still have a heart far from God, while another person may never stand behind a microphone yet live a life deeply surrendered to Him. God's interest reaches beyond the expression to the person offering it.

This makes sense when we understand worship as relational. From the beginning of Scripture, God reveals His desire for relationship with humanity. Sin fractured that relationship, yet the biblical story repeatedly shows God moving toward restoration. He called Abraham, formed Israel, and instructed Moses, “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Ultimately, Christ came into the world, and through Him believers are reconciled to God. Redemption is not merely about escaping judgment; it restores people to relationship with their Creator. Worship belongs within that restored relationship.

Jesus also used an important word: true worshippers. The Samaritan woman had raised a long-standing disagreement about where worship should occur. The Samaritans worshipped on Mount Gerizim, while the Jews worshipped in Jerusalem. Jesus redirected the discussion from competing locations to the character of the worshipper. The Father seeks those who worship Him “in spirit and truth.”