The Heart of Worship

Jeremiah 17:10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Matt Redman wrote a song called “The Heart of Worship.” It is one of the most recognizable songs in Christian music today. The purpose of the song was written for his church in England. The congregation had been coming to church for all the wrong reasons. For several weeks, the pastor asked the church to not have any music. Instead, they would worship God in other ways.

Through all of this, the church was able to reconnect to God in ways they never thought possible. Instead of coming to a show, they came to have the most intimate time of worship together than ever before. Instead of listening to great cutting-edge music, top of the line sound, and a phenomenal light show, they took time to pray together and worship God more intimately. What they encountered was inspiring. They were able to come closer together than ever before.

The first verse of the song says, “When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come. Longing just to bring, something that’s of worth that will bless your heart.” Matt Redman sang this song at his church the first time they had music again. I would imagine it was just him and a guitar. Sometimes God wants us to slow everything down. He wants us to strip everything away and just simply come with no expectations, no motives, and no worries. God wants us to see things in the right perspective. 

God looks into our hearts before He looks into our pocket books. Make sure you come before God with the right motives. We need to be reminded, just like this church in England did, that God isn’t impressed with all the noise and cutting-edge technology that we think will bring in all the people. God just simply wants our hearts right when we worship. We don’t need all the gizmos and gadgets to do that. Revival broke out in the late 1800’s because people got on their hands and knees and prayed. Everything else is just to enhance our experience, but don't let that be the main reason why you worship.