ushered in

This week is the first of nine weeks our worship team is doing a study together called Pure Praise, a heart-focused study on worship written by Dwayne Moore.

This first week has really just been laying a basic understanding of what biblical worship looks like. Dwayne talks about how there are three directions of worship: inward (how we inwardly love God with our heart), outward (how we love the people Jesus died for), and upward (offering praise and thanksgiving to God – what many think of when they think of worship).

This week the inward direction really stuck out to me. Dwayne had us read Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

In response, he says, “A wellspring is the source from which water flows. Likewise our hearts are the source of all our thoughts, motives, and actions. The importance of this inward direction of worship cannot be overemphasized…God is searching the earth not to support those who sing the best or shout the loudest. Rather, he seeks for those whose hearts are fully committed to him. As worshippers and worship leaders, that must be our foremost goal. Without that commitment, all other expressions of worship are actually sickening to God.”

That is a pretty strong statement. But it’s true.

I had a brief moment in my office this week listening to music and my heart was overwhelmed with my love for God and His love for me. I long for a heart that longs for Him more – and I desire to see this in the body of Christ as well (even more than I already see it). Genuine outward worship will only result from a wellspring that is full of love for our God and King.