Several years ago, the leadership of a fairly large English church became tired of the ‘worship wars.’ They were tired of different people getting mad and getting upset when the worship leader didn’t embrace their particular way or mode of worship. Some wanted hymns. Some wanted both. Some wanted modern songs. So the leadership decided that they all needed to get their hearts right before God and learn that worship was more than just song style preferences. So they banned music from worship services for an entire month. Matt Redman, the worship leader, was charged with coming up with alternate ways of worship God that did not involve music.
As a result of that time and under conviction of the Holy Spirit, Matt wrote a song entitled, “The Heart of Worship.” You know it. You’ve sung it. But have you really heard the words? ‘When the music fades and all is stripped away” Take away the music, the voices, the instruments and what do you have? Matt says, “I simply come.”
The cry of the heart that longs to bring something that is of worth to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God is so awesome and magnificent. What could I possibly have to offer God and bless His heart?
So I bring God more than a song, which God never says has to be done. Instead, God seeks to strip away all of our posing, posturing, and pretending as God looks at the depths of our heart and being. It is there that we find worship. Worship in truth and spirit. Where we lay aside our wants, our expectations, our desires, and our pretenses and it worship becomes all about Jesus. Here we realize how often we make worship and we make church and we Christianity all about us instead of about God. It is our heart of worship.