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Psalm 26:2-3

 

    Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.

 

    Inward adoration is the idea of walking with an awareness of the attributes and character of God and allowing our hearts to remain amazed.  In looking over my history of leading worship now for the last 14 years, I can’t help but feel convicted of the times I have stood before the people of God with my heart in the wrong place.  At times my affections have been pointed toward a less worthy object, or my thoughts plagued by fear or pride.

 

    Isaac Watts is one of my favorite songwriters throughout history.  In his wisdom he wrote, “The Great God values not the service of men, if the heart be not in it.  The Lord sees and judges the heart; he has no regard to outward forms of worship, if there be no inward adoration, if no devout affection be employed therein.  It is therefore a matter of infinite importance, to have the whole heart engaged steadfastly on God.”

 

    The word in the Greek bible most commonly used to translate ‘to worship’ is proskynein.  Thie word is a compound of pros (towards) and kynein (to kiss).  Throughout Greek literature this word was used to describe the widespread oriental custom of casting oneself to the ground, or bowing out of reverence.

 

    David Peterson, in his book Engaging with God, points out, “At an early stage proskynein came to be used for the inward attitude of homage or respect which the outward gesture represented.”  In other words, the outward, tangible signs of devotion were fueled by an inward affection.

 

The heart is a funny thing.  I heard someone recently say, “The heart wants what the heart wants”’.  The  times my heart wanders is that I had lose my sense of reverence and awe.  Andy Stanley encourages leaders by reminding them that, “Vision leaks”.  In the same way, wonder leaks.  Amazement wanes.  Luster fades.

 

The first time I bought my first guitar, I was in awe each time I played it.  My playing seemed to be much better than it was before because I was amazed by having a nice guitar.  Over time, my guitar has gotten old.  Now I go into guitar stores and wonder over others. The process continues.

 

Does that happen with our worship?  Has the cross become common?  Has the gospel lost it’s luster?  Or have our hearts misplaced their affections?  When Watts’ calls us  to have our hearts “engaged steadfastly” on God, what does that look like? 

 

My prayer for us as followers of Jesus, and worship leaders, is that we be a people whose hearts first and foremost be tenaciously in love with Jesus Christ.  When we stand in front of our churches we are calling people to lavish love and adoration on Jesus.  Are we leading the procession?

 

On a weekly basis we are called on to sing of the love and wonder of God.  Sunday morning for me begins on Mondays.  It begins with me leaving enough margin, enough space to harbor these ideas within me.   If I lack to walk with a continual wonder and fascination with the cross of Christ, how am I able to call our church to do so?  Heaven forbid we go through motions or worship without our hearts engaged.

 

Watts encouragement to us is to continually walk with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and passion for the Gospel of Christ, and allow this to be the fuel for living for God.  as we continue to grow and develop in our gifting, let’s remember the words of a man who urges us to overflow with inward adoration.