Here's an excerpt from a sermon by John Piper entitled, "Worship: The Feast of Christian Hedonism." I know there is some discomfort in Christian circles about the use of the word "hedonism." Here's a good definition:
1. the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good
2. devotion to pleasure as a way of life
Application of that definition to my life pursuit of Almighty God is overwhelmingly encouraging to me! May God "open the eyes of my heart" and give strength through His spirit that I may follow hard after Him. I hope this encourages you today!
Three Ways the Heart Responds in Worship
Worship is vain, empty, nothing, where the heart is unmoved. And I think it's possible to describe in general the experience of the heart in worship. There are three general ways that the heart can respond in worship to God, and they usually overlap and coexist.
1) The heart can delight in the wealth of God's glory.
My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises thee with joyful lips, when I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night. (Psalm 63:5, 6)
2) The heart can long for that delight to be deeper and more intense and more consistent.
As a hart longs for the flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? (Psalm 42:1, 2)
3) The heart can repent in sorrow when it feels neither the delight in God nor a longing for delight in God.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward thee. (Psalms 73:21, 22)
Worship is vain, empty, nothing, where the heart is unmoved. And I think it's possible to describe in general the experience of the heart in worship. There are three general ways that the heart can respond in worship to God, and they usually overlap and coexist.
1) The heart can delight in the wealth of God's glory.
My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises thee with joyful lips, when I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night. (Psalm 63:5, 6)
2) The heart can long for that delight to be deeper and more intense and more consistent.
As a hart longs for the flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? (Psalm 42:1, 2)
3) The heart can repent in sorrow when it feels neither the delight in God nor a longing for delight in God.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward thee. (Psalms 73:21, 22)
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