God created us for worship to live in relationship with Him. But when sin entered into this world through the first man Adam and his wife Eve, relationship with God was broken and they were driven away from the presence of the Lord. Sin first affected worship – relationship with God and with one another. In Genesis chapter 4 when Cain and Abel came to worship, Cain and his offering were not accepted by God. From a worshipper he became a wanderer (4:9). Even his descendent also were similarly like him. But God chose worshippers from the wanderers to continue His plan of redemption on the earth through people like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph in Genesis.
As we continue the biblical account God delivered the people of Israel from the Egyptian bondage so that they may sacrifice to the Lord our God and worship Him. When the mighty hand of the Lord delivered them and led towards their promised land they failed to be true worshippers because of unbelief. They spend most of the time complaining and not celebrating God. They rebelled against God than putting reliance upon Him. They did not seek to have an encounter with God because they sought only entertainments. As a result people who were called to be worshippers are now wanderers in the desert for the next 40 years.
Even after entering the Promised Land people chose to follow the world around them for worship than to become true worshippers of the living God. God raised up David a man after His own heart to restore true worship and intimacy with God. But still people followed their own ways and through the prophet Hosea God says: “My God will cast them away because they have not listened to Him, and they will be wanderers among the nations.”
Have you wondered why God does that? Because God seeks true worshippers.
Years later Christ came down to this earth to make every wanderer to a worshipper. He has opened the way for us to be true worshippers through His sacrifice on the cross. We don’t have to wander anymore. The price is paid and the path is opened by Christ on the cross. That is the reason Jesus cries out “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” In John 4 Jesus met a lone wanderer, Samaritan woman and turned her to a true worshipper. She not only became a worshipper but changed many wanderers to worshippers. That is the mark of a true worshipper. Christ came to change every wanderer into a worshipper.
Who are these wanderers of today? They are people who have a religion without a relationship with God and reliance on the Word of God. They do not listen to God and His counsel rather go in their own ways. They have a form of godliness and do not love the truth. They are people who love entertainments and fail to have encounters with God. They love charisma and fall short of character. They build their own name and not the Kingdom of God. They focus more on the style of worship and not on the object of worship.
You don’t have to remain as a wanderer anymore. God’s grace can turn you from a wanderer to a true worshipper. And that is what God is looking for. Would you become one?