(40) The Heart of Worship is the Heart

(Note: This is part of a continuing series of posts on The Heart of Worship & Psalm 95)

"For forty years I loathed that generation,

And said they are a people who err in their heart,

And they do not know My ways.

"Therefore I swore in My anger,

Truly they shall not enter into My rest."

(Psalm 95:10-11)

God got angry with Israel. Why? Because of their unbelief and disobedience. But notice, God doesn’t stop there. God digs deeper and looks at the heart. With God, it’s never just about our actions. Actions matter, but the heart matters more. God wants us to do the right thing, but not out of slavish obligation but out or joy and delight. If you don’t feel like doing what is right, you should still do it, but you should stop and seriously think about what is wrong in your heart that you don’t want to do what is right.

All of life is to be an act of worship, honoring, demonstrating, and declaring the glory of God. There is life worship, magnifying God’s character in the minute, day by day activities of life. Then there is liturgical worship, worship that follows a planned pattern and focus such as in our daily devotions or in a church service. All of this is to be worship and all of this worship must come from the heart.

When it comes to liturgical worship the heart is critical. When all is said & done, biblical as it may be, genuine worship has not taken place unless it is genuinely the expression of the heart!

Worship must begin in the heart. Valuing God above all else must be the passion of the heart. When my heart values anything above God, I cease to worship. The heart of worship is the heart that values God, His praise, His fame, His ways, His desires above ALL ELSE! Theo-centric worship begins in a Theo-centric heart.

"Worship is for God. He is our Creator, and the worship of His creatures is both His right and His pleasure. Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life." (Graham Kendrick)

Soli Deo Gloria

Next:  (41)  Knowledge vs. Knowing