Does a typical Sunday morning church service run through your mind like this?
"I like that Bible verse. I need to remember that. When do we get out of here? Oh, we're singing my favorite song. I had Chinese last week, maybe Mexican today. Good point pastor but I've heard it before. Why is that woman over there dressed like that? Oh, time for communion. Wait a minute where's my phone? etc. etc...."
What Is The Heart Of Worship?
Are we worshipping the living God, the maker of Heaven and Earth or are we biding time till we can eat, get on our phones and live our "real" lives? What is the heart of worship? Romans 12:1 tells us what true and proper worship really is.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1
Living Sacrifice
In the Old Testament, an animal that was to be sacrificed was set apart from the other animals. It was kept as free from spot and blemish as possible. Now in Romans Paul tells us that we are a "living sacrifice" set apart to live a life as close to God as possible. Seeking His will above all things. Paul says that this act of service to God is our true act of worship.
Vain Worship
In Matthew, our Lord tells us what vain worship is as he quotes from Isaiah. The word vain means useless, non-existent, really. Worship with words, but not with the heart, is vain worship. People who worship in vain go through the motions of worship, but their heart is not in them.
"‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15: 8-9
The Heart to the Mouth
Later on, in Matthew 15:18-20, Jesus says that what comes out of our mouth comes from our heart. He tells us that from the heart comes all manner of evil and sin which defile us.
And in Jeremiah 17:9, we read that the heart is "deceitful above all things."
Hope For True Worship
If our heart lies to us and all these terrible evil thoughts, and sins come from the heart, how can we worship God "in spirit and in truth"? Where is our hope? We have hope because the Bible tells us that when we follow God, as Paul continues on to say in Romans 12:2, that we will be transformed by the renewal of our mind. Indeed our very hearts will be transformed!
In Ezekiel 36:26, the prophet told us there would be a time when we will be given a new heart and a new spirit. A time when our heart of stone will be replaced with a heart of flesh. We will put on "the new man" as Ephesians 4:24 tells us. God has promised us a new heart. One that has the law of God written on it. (Jeremiah 31:33)
Purpose of Transformation
We are transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit into a new creation. One that is capable of worshipping God rightly. Being a new creature we give our lives as a sacrifice of praise to God. As it says in Hebrews 13: 15-16,
"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
This sacrifice means giving to the Lord whatever He requires of our energies, our time and our earthly possessions to further His work.
Set Apart
Truly we are set apart and changed, renewed so that our worship is acceptable to God. Our worship becomes true heart worship, not just lip service on a Sunday morning. How easy it is to feel like we have done our duty by attending church and participating in the service. Yet God tells us without a renewed heart and a renewed mind, one set on God and His will, we are actually not worshipping at all. True worship requires action not just talk.
It's All About Jesus
"I'm comin' back to the heart of worship
'Cause it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus"
-- from "The Heart of Worship" by Matt Redmon
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