The Heart Of Worship - The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

Having plugged my destination into the navigation system, I readjusted my seat, turned on the seat warmers, and took a deep breath. I had a ninety-minute drive before me on twisty country roads, and I was alone, a relatively rare occurrence for such a long drive.

What to do with myself? I mentally ran through several podcasts and novels I had been listening to before deciding on a favorite playlist. And as I pulled out of the parking lot, having turned my car toward home, I cranked the volume to levels no mother would approve of and began belting out the lyrics in all of my tone-deaf and off-key glory.

When I tell people I cannot sing, they assume I’m being falsely modest or, at the very least, exaggerating the utter woefulness of my singing voice. And I’m too embarrassed to prove to them just how honest I am when I confess that I. Cannot. Sing. I’m awful. You don’t want to stand next to me at church because I’ll pull you out of key and off the beat if I sing above a whisper.

Despite all of this, I love singing. I have a deep, desperate, lifelong desire to sing beautifully, especially to God. And I know it’s something I won’t accomplish this side of heaven.

But this is the thing: it is my heart that God will find beautiful when I loudly croak along to worship songs. He is not put off by my inability to find the key or the beat. He cares more about my thoughts, motivations, and intentions. These are the things that reveal my love and awe for him. When I pause amid busy days to acknowledge the enormity of what God has done for me, that is what he finds pleasing, no matter the sound of my voice.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Sing a song of worship to God, turning off all distractions so that your heart is fully engaged. “Amazing Grace” is a lovely choice if you don’t have a favorite.