Often, without thinking, we absorb the body language, posture, and tone of someone speaking, along with their words. For instance, two people both say “I promise.” One is looking square at you, nodding slightly as they speak. The other is looking down, arms crossed, as they mumble the words. Both are saying the same words, but communicating entirely different messages.
In a similar way, God observes our outward posture but is more interested in our heart posture. When the prophet Samuel was trying to discern whom God had anointed as king, we read – “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, CSB) God doesn’t care as much about our window dressing as He cares about what is inside.
Jesus told a parable that also touches our heart posture. “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14, CSB)
The Pharisees were master worshippers. Everything they did, what they wore, what they ate, whom they hung out with, and the words they spoke all reflected a devotion to God. The Pharisee in the parable did fast and tithe, he avoided sin and sinners – well, most sin. He hadn’t conquered the sin of pride. The tax collector did everything wrong and was convicted because of it. He came to God with humility and brokenness – but God justified him and not the Pharisee.
As we approach the throne of grace in worship, our heart posture matters more than anything else. Do we worship with pride and judgmentalism? Can we only worship when the right songs are played in the “proper” way? Do we try to worship even when our hearts are filled with unforgiveness? Do we look around and judge others’ worship? All of those and more are the wrong heart posture.
Or do we humbly enter worship, broken and contrite, with hearts open for whatever God has for us? Do we focus on Him and tune out the “noise” seeking to distract? Do we avoid the anxiety of fitting in or judging others? Are we being honest with God? “Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God— God of my salvation— and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” (Psalm 51:14–17, CSB)
Our heart posture before God matters in our worship. Not just in singing, but also in prayer, service, and witnessing the goodness of God to others. God will never despise or reject a broken and humbled heart.
For those who lead worship in some way. I’ve had the privilege and honor to serve God and the body of Christ in leading worship in different capacities for nearly fifty years. It is good to hone your abilities and talents. But more importantly, it is vital to destroy your pride in those abilities and talents. We, too, must also approach worship with a broken and humble spirit. We are not performers; we are worshippers tasked with helping others enter into God’s presence through the gifts He has given us. Something is wrong if people’s attention is on us rather than on God. At the end of the day, it is not about how musically perfect we were, but did we, meaning the whole body, touch God’s heart, and did God touch ours?
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