The Heart Is Important in Worship

April 27, 2015 Year B

Psalm 95:1-11

The heart is what makes one sing. The heart desires to enter God’s presence. The heart desires God. Worship is the external expression of the heart of a Christian (Psalm 95:1-7). People can express their heart’s desire in the way they worship. We can shout, give thanks, proclaim God’s works, bow, kneel, and listen to God.

Our hearts can also be hardened. People can harden their hearts through bitterness, through testing God and His chosen leaders. God was disgusted with His people because they did not change their heart in those forty years. Their hearts continued to stray (Psalm 95:7-11).

As a result, they missed out on the blessings and the rest which only God could provide (Psalm 95:11).

The same is true today. There are Christians who have hardened their hearts. They have turned from what God wants them to do. He has provided for them and they turn away. They resist Him and they wander in the wilderness. The wanderings will never cease. They will never rest from this continual hardening and they will never see God provide rest for their souls.

The heart is the essential part in worship, not the voice. God wants us to keep our hearts focused on Him.

Prayer: God, please help me to keep my heart focused on You. Help me to focus on You in worship. Keep my heart from hardening away from your will.