(23) When God Says, “Stop Worshiping – You’re Heart’s Not In It!”

Can you imagine God telling us to stop worshiping and close the church doors? This is, in effect, what He says to the people of Israel . . . more than once! Why? Was it because their worship was unsound doctrinally? No. Was it because God didn’t approve of their worship style or the instruments they used? No. It had nothing to do with the content or style of their worship at all.

Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote . . . (Isaiah 29:13 NAU)
　
What’s the problem here? There’s no reason to question the content of their worship. They were saying the right things in worship. And, on top of that, they were doing it faithfully. They were showing up whenever the doors were open and saying the right things and singing the right words. But there was one big problem. The words were just words without heart. They were just going through the motions. They were just doing church. It was habit, ritual, tradition without heart. There was no joy or delight in God. There was no affection for God.

You shall love the LORD your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your might.

(Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV)

In Hebrew thought, the heart was the center of personality. It was a word that summed up the totality of the real person inside the flesh and bones. The heart includes thoughts, values, emotions, and will. For the people in Isaiah’s day, they were exercising their wills, but their thoughts, values, and emotions were not engaged in worship.

Again, we need to note that God doesn’t just want acts of worship. God wants us to have hearts that love Him, delight in Him, are passionate about Him, and so, worship Him. The acts of worship whether they be spoken words, singing, clapping, raising hands, bowing, kneeling, dancing or any other act we are told to do in scripture must come from a heart for God. Genuine worship is more than the right thoughts, words, and actions. Genuine worship engages the whole person.

So let me ask you a question. Where are your thoughts when you are singing in church? Are your thoughts on the truth of the words you are singing? Is this truth about God a genuine expression of your heart as you sing? Or is it just words coming out of your mouth?

What are your emotions like when you worship? Are you filled with joy and delight in the God of glory? Is it a pleasure and thrill to gather with other believers to worship God? Are you touched to the core of your being by His greatness and majesty? Are you humbled, perhaps even to tears by the wonders of His grace, mercy and love?

When worship is nothing more than an intellectual, physical practice without the reality of a heart responding to the heart of God, then God says, "Stop worshiping!"

May we never have to hear God say,

"Stop worshiping, your heart’s not in it."

Soli Deo Gloria

Next: When God Says, "Stop Worshiping – There’s Sin In Your Life!"