We all know that the concept of worship is at the center of the Christian Life: To proclaim and display the glory of Christ as those who’ve been purchased and ransomed by His blood and made new by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And often when we consider worship, our focus rightly goes to the outward expressions of it:

• Singing and rejoicing: words expressed to the One who’s redeemed us.

• Acts of service done in love of others

For followers of Jesus, every aspect of our lives is meant to be lived as worship: proclaiming the Glory of Christ.

Outward, but beginning in the heart

But worship, although expressed outwardly, begins inwardly with the heart. It begins in the core of who we are, where our passions and true allegiance lie. I think of Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 15 - when He looks at the religious leaders and quotes from them the prophet Isaiah:

7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.

You see, if the “worship” of the Pharisees was anything, it was active and outward. It was expressed fully - and even dramatically - for all to see. It wasn’t for the glory of God, but for their own acclaim. And that’s the problem. The worship didn’t come from their heart, in humility and surrender. Their hearts were far and rotten with sin and selfishness. For true, God-glorifying worship, it must begin in the heart.

Worship and prayer.

Prayer helps with “good” worship. Prayer is about intimacy, closeness, and communing with our Father - to draw near to Him and Him draw near to us. To see and behold Him for all that He truly is. And as we behold Him, we begin to delight in Him. When we behold Him, we begin to treasure Him as the priceless joy that He is. And from that place - that place of beholding, treasuring and delighting in Him - from that place comes the sweetest, most God-glorifying worship.

This week, press in close to Jesus in prayer. Behold the Christ. Treasure Him in your heart this week and delight in Him… and let’s worship Him with hearts surrendered.