A pure heart should be the center of our relationship with Christ. Not pure in the sense of never doing anything wrong but just being completely open & honest with Him and loving Him and wanting to truly do what He wants us to do. Respecting Him and honoring Him, just because He deserves that (at the least)!
Our honor should act as the soft, creamy filling at the center of your favorite doughnut or snack. The body of Christ seems to be missing it, and so there is just this evasive gaping hole! And God is not satisfied with us because His favorite part of the church (worship/relationship) is not there. I don't know about you, but I want to be the sweet cream filling that He enjoys!
The Lord said, "Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;
Isaiah 29:13 (World English Bible [WEB])
You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:8 (WEB)
That all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
John 5:23 (NIV)
LORD,
I first apologize for "worshipping" You with songs and dance and words but without honoring You. Forgive me for the times when I set my heart on doing things for You without ever asking You or seeking how You would like for me to come to You. I repent, and vow that from here on out I will check with You to make sure that my offering will be pleasing and acceptable. I promise to follow Your guidelines for worship and not get caught up in what I want it to be like. Nor will I come to You only caring about You filling my emotional needs. Worship is a privilege, but I won't do it for just the benefits any longer. I won't "worship" You by asking You for anything. I won't worship You by complaining about my "needs". I refuse to "worship" You by making excuses for my self or my short-comings. No longer will I attempt to "worship" You without acknowledging that You are Holy and I need to be cleaned (by repentance) before I even think of stepping foot into Your presence. It's amazing how we make so much preparation and waste so much time toiling and working up others and ourselves to give You faulty worship. We get trapped in our "it's all about me" mindsets and make lots of noise and get all emotional and cry and scream and roll around just to make a huge commotion and even bigger fools of ourselves. We involve so much of what we like and never think to consider what it is You require from us. We stain your altars with our filth. We touch your sacred things with filthy hands. We shoot praises from foul mouths that slander, curse and belittle Your beloved. We take the very thing that is supposed to be at the epi-center of our relationship with You and we trample it under our feet without giving it a second thought. We sit down to sing songs inviting You in and asking You to talk, but before You can open Your mouth to speak we leave You and continue with our daily routines. We support the very things and people that curse You. We feed ourselves with their words and check into what they are doing and look to them for advice and we love them and we lend more of our time to seeing what they are doing and saying than we even think of spending with you. It's offensive and I do not want to willingly offend our Holy God anymore. So I repent, and I pray for the person(s) who will read this. I ask that You would prick their hearts, even if it is calloused. I pray that You would turn our stony hearts to soft fleshy ones, that can feel You and are sensitive to Your leading. Make us sheep that know Your voice and will stubbornly refuse to follow any stranger's. Break our hearts for the things that break Yours. Give us an Holy Spirit lead urgency to seek Your face. To spend time with You. To enjoy lying in Your presence. Take us to the heart of true worship, where it's all about You Jesus! Humble us! Remove haughtiness in our lives. Kill our arrogance and pride! Move us to be moved by You. Lord, it's only by Your Spirit that we can even want to be close to You. Draw us Father. Woo us! Correct us and Discipline us! Make us Your true disciples, one's who will wait for Your instruction. One's who spend time with You and don't want to go anywhere without You alongside of them. Lord, make us want You more than we want to see souls saved. If we love You and follow after You then souls will be saved, but we cannot accomplish this by working backward! You and Your laws must be the apple of our eyes and the seal upon our hearts! Take us there, and make us fall so much in love that we'll never think of turning back! I love You Lord. I honor You, I bless You and I thank You! & Jesus, it is in Your name that I ask these things according to Your word [John 14:14]!
