John 4, Romans 12:1-2

Author Tom Wright tells us that, "...because you were made in God's image, worship makes you more human. You discover more of what it means to be fully alive...when you worship an idol - it may well give you a brief 'high'. But like a hallucinatory drug, it achieves its effect at a cost. And when the effect is over, you are less of a human being than you were to begin with. That is the price of idolatry."

When God is the centre of your worship and the centre of your focus, then you become more human, fully alive and content, because you're in relationship with your Creator Father.

When pounds, possessions, pleasure, people and power are on the throne of your life then you become less human, more anxious and striving.

In John 4 Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan women at a well. He speaks in verse 23 about what true, genuine and authentic worship looks like. We learn from this story that there are upward, outward and inward elements to worship.

The upward element of worship is about recognizing that the priority of worship is intimacy with God.

The outward element of worship is about recognizing that the purpose of worship is for God's passion to become our mission.

The inward element of worship is about personal transformation.

True worship is about intimacy, mission and personal transformation. It's why Paul writes these amazing words in Romans 12:1-2, "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

The choice you have today is whether you want to put yourself on the throne or the altar.