Jesus reminds us that He wants our heart. That is what it is all about and what it’s always been about. “They may praise me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.” Let us not be like the Pharisees. Sing, Think, Act, and Be with an overflowing heart of joy for God. Let Him be our treasure. Being fully satisfied in Him even in moments of desperation. Be less set on the inconsistencies of the world and be more captivated by the faithfulness of God.

‬‬

I believe it is key to remember in a time like this that the place we worship isn’t as important as how or who we worship. We can remember in John 4 when Jesus speaks to the woman at the well, He tells her:

“Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”
‭‭–John‬ ‭4:21‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

The setting of our worship to Jesus is set aside as we recognize that at the epicenter of our adoration out hearts must be fixated on Him. Jesus says after this:

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
–‭‭John‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭(ESV)

This means that Jesus wants us fully, our spirit, in line with the Holy Spirit, to worship Him despite the place. Acknowledging the true God, Jesus Christ, and worshiping only Him in a manner that He calls for. We do not need a church building or an organized service to take place in order for us to worship Him. With a true and thankful heart, worship can happen anywhere, anytime. So in a season of isolation, let that be present in our lives! Rejoicing in the truths that we know from Scripture. Praising Him with thanksgiving for preserving His people. Adoring His great and marvelous deeds. Repenting of sins. Living sacrificial lives for His name’s sake. That is what He desires and what He deserves.

Practically in my own life, I have made it a habit of singing God-honoring songs in my house. While I love to sing, sometimes it is not always the easiest thing to do. I may have other things to do or don’t feel “happy or excited.” But what I have noticed is that setting aside time to willfully submit myself to the Father, on my knees with my heart turned towards Him, my mind is reminded through the words of these songs of the God that I am worshipping. Just the other day, I was mowing the grass and put on “Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me,” a new song we just did last week. That morning I couldn’t shake the dread and pain I had been through in this past year and found myself fixating on the past. While hearing and singing along to this song, I found my heart moving on the verse that says:

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior He will stay
I labor on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed

I was tired, I felt helpless, and I was in fear of what my future may look like. But through willfully singing these words my mind was reminded that even in the moments of despair, my God would stay. By my side and displaying His power through the needs of my heart. This was such a beautiful moment for me. It is times like this, that while I know these truths, and speak them to other people, my mind and heart are so easily forgetful and I have to be reminded again. Worship gave me a chance to reengage with these truths taught in Scripture. So although songs may be repetitive, or sung 100 times, God can still use these moments in the way He did for me to awaken the forgetfulness in our hearts with His promises.