What should the heart of a worshipper be? We could make a list of a few things: willing, serving, humble, delighted in God, and satisfied in God are a few.
Now what should the heart of the worship leader be towards the people? What should his goal and aim be second to glorifying God?
I will venture to say that the aim of the worship leader should be the desire that people enjoy God the same as he or she does; that the people are enraptured by God and not the music.
I challenge you, worship leaders, to be satisfied in God more than a successful practice. I challenge you to be satisfied in God more than the response of the people during worship. I challenge you to make your satisfaction in God rather than in yourself. Lastly, I challenge you to lead the people of your church, Bible study, home group, etc., with the aim of helping them to be satisfied in God just as much and more than you are.
I challenge you, people of God, to be satisfied in God more than the music. I challenge you to be satisfied in God more than the drum fills and guitar solos. I challenge you to be satisfied in God more than yourself.
Worship leaders, there is so much that we can bring to the stage: guitar riffs, drum solos, synth sounds, soft pads, sound effects, videos, lights, etc. But what good is all of this if we aren't satisfied in God? What good is our leading if we are leading by our talents and not our satisfaction, pleasure, hope, and faith in God? How can you expect to lead people in worshipping God when you aren't even focused on God? That's not leading people into worship of God. That's leading people to worship an experience, or even worse, to worship you. Do we lead for a response or to glorify God?
People of God, so much can be and is laid before you during a time of worship. I've said it so much before and I'll continue to say it: don't worship the experience. Be satisfied in God over the music. Worship God and not the music! Church, look and see how despicable of a sin it is to make the central satisfaction of your worship someone or something other than God!
I ask you, worship leader where is your heart when you are leading?
People of God, where are your hearts when being led into worship?
If your hearts aren't focused on God, repent and ask Him to satisfy you with Himself. Worship Him for who He is and what He's done. He is worthy of our praise.
I want to leave you with this last quote from Charles H. Spurgeon. It is taken from a sermon ("The Dumb Shall Sing") on how before we were saved we were unable to speak or sing the praise of God, and how we should now be joyful and praise God for what He's done...
"O! Ye unworthy ones, ye saints that feel your deep natural depravity, and mourn over your ruin by the fall of Adam, lift up your hearts to God! He hath delivered you from all the impediments which Adam cast upon you; your tongue is loosed, it is loose now; Adam had made it dumb, but God hath loosed it; your eyes that were blinded by Adam's fall are opened now; He hath lifted you from the miry clay. What Adam lost for us, Christ hath regained for us; He hath plucked us out of the pit; and 'set us upon a rock, and established our goings, and hath put a new song in our mouth, even praise forevermore.' Yes, 'the tongue of the dumb shall sing.'"
Blessings,
Nick
