Where is your heart?

Read Isaiah 1:10-16

I just started reading the book of Isaiah today. I've read it a few times before, like I have with most of the bible, but I have to admit that I've never really stopped and let it sink in. Today as I read I didn't just read I ate.... I ate up the scriptures and was nourished by them. I wanted to share something that I got out of my reading today that really challeneged my heart today.

In the first chapter of Isaiah he calls out the nation of Israel and flat out tells them that they are bad, he refers to them as Sodom and Gomorrah. Thats harsh because if you don't know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah they were pretty much wiped off the face of the earth because of their wickeness [Genesis 19]. In the next few verses Isaiah tells them that God is tired of their meaningless worship and that all the things that they are doing don't mean a thing to God. As a worship leader this really got me asking why? Why are these things so unacceptable to God? Why does He say "Bring your worthless offerings no longer. Incense is an abomination to me." Why so harsh?

Why? Because God doesn't desire people that just do things for Him but instead He desires people who not only worship Him in action but with their whole hearts. The people in Isaiah's day were doing all the right things, they were going to the temple and offering up their sacrifices and incense. But that isn't what God desired from them thats why he said he was tired of it. Thats why he said the offerings were worthless and the incense an abomination. HE WANTED THEM TO WORSHIP HIM WITH THEIR HEARTS!!!

After I thought about that for a while I had to ask myself, as a worshiper, am I constantly worshiping God with my whole heart? When I lead worship, am I just playing music or am I worshiping God? As a worship Pastor, am I a good example of what God desires worship to be? As a husband and father, do I worship God with my family?

Those are tough questions for me to answer sometimes. In my life it is a constant struggle between being a worshiper and a worship pastor. Aren't those the same things though? Yes and no, one is my job and one is my adoration to my Savior. It is true that I can and DO worship God through my job as a pastor but I find that sometimes I have so much going on at church and with ministry that I don't worship God.... I don't because my heart is jumbled by the busyness of life and I find myself just going through the motions... just like those people Isaiah was talking about. I don't want that.... I want to worship God with my life, with everything I do, with my music and with my heart.

I resign myself from being a worship leader because as a leader I fail..... instead I want to be a lead worshiper..... a man who doesn't lead from experience but by example, the example of worship. I don't want to just run through the motions anymore.... I want to worship God with my whole heart and lead through that.

God, that's my desire. I worship You.

- Victor


"It only takes a spark, to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing. That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it; you spread his love to everyone; you want to pass it on."