The Heart of Worship

The Heart of Worship

By Pastor Gary Wayne

There is a song I have been listening to “We’re Singing Holy,” by a group “Here Be Lions.” Take us into the Holy of Holies,
Into the place where kings take off their crowns
We're overwhelmed by the weight of Your glory
You're lifted higher as every knee bows down
We're singing - Holy, holy, holy is the lord

Text: Revelation 4:1-11, Isaiah 6:1-4

My prayer is “God I want to find that place in You.”
I want to be in Your presence – To live in that presence –
Ps 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;.”
Ps 31:20 “You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence…”
That’s not when we get to Heaven - it’s for NOW!

Joh 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

So if God is seeking this kind of worship, & I want this presence, then…

But what does it take to get there?

Sometimes when people approach God in worship, we are like the faults prophets of Baal 1Ki.18 – thinking you have to get God’s attention by extreme behavior.

We don’t have to get God’s attention - just the opposite - we already have it. We need to give God our attention. Fix our eyes on Him in the face of distractions.

I’ve been in a lot of churches in my 60 years, and each one is different.
Each one is uniquely special.

Some are demonstrative and expressive, and some are subdued and reflectively quiet.

Years ago, Heatherann and I were attending a church and one of the leading ladies went to Heatherann and told her that she wasn’t worshiping, that she needed to let go and be more expressive. That surprised her, because she was deeply worshiping, but differently than many in the church.

What do you call people who respond to God’s presence and are VERY expressive in their worship – they dance, they shout, they wave their arms, jump, etc? Excessive? Operating in the flesh?

What do you call people who sit with no visible reaction to God’s presence? Excessive? Operating in the flesh?

Both can be viewed as extreme – emotionalism.

Emotionalism = undue indulgence in or display of emotion.

How do you know if they are actually “full on” worshiping God, or just putting on a show for those around them?

How much of their physical display is for those around them, and not for God?
Which expression is better than the other? Loud or quiet? The answer is Yes!

For some people, being where people are demonstrative in their worship makes them uncomfortable.

Consequently, how do they react? How do they tend to classify this demonstration of worship?

For some people, being where people are stoic in their worship it makes them uncomfortable.

Consequently, how do they react? How do they tend to classify this demonstration of worship?

I know of two places in the Bible where people were looked at as extreme in their worship, and different people around them judged them extreme.
2 Sam.6 – David danced before the Lord. Joh.12 – Marry anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume.

But then - Isa.30:15 “…In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
Ps 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God…”

Which way is better? Loud or quiet? The answer is Yes!

I think – “according to Gary” – some who are loud and boisterous need to add some “quiet before the Lord.” Some who are quiet need to “yadah”, and “halal” = VERY expressive, clamorously foolish.”

The bottom line is it is all about the heart.

1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I WANT – NEED a “heart” of worship.