Pure Heart

The ceiling leaked, the fans where noisy, and dogs kept barking from outside. In this building, the congregation of Shiloh Baptist Church met. When we come into the one room church, we quietly take our seats amongst the yard chair rows. Not an overwhelming crowd, just a steady 25 or so Filipinos. Yet in this moment, as we stood to sing, I would rather be no where else.

The praise band had asked our team to lead worship last week, so on Saturday night, Thomas and I went to the church for practice, picking out songs for the next morning. I would sing, and he would play the electric guitar which would not stay in tune. But before we came up to lead in praise, they had their customary opening song and call to worship.

Nothing majestic about the instruments, and nothing magical about the voices. But here, in the most humble of places, this song was sung:

A pure heart, that's what I long for
A heart that follows hard after thee.
A pure heart, that's what I long for
A heart that follows hard after thee.

A heart that hides your word
So that sin may not come in
A heart that's undivided
But one you rule, you reign
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases you my Lord
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to your throne.

And this, my friend, is the unspeakable beauty of the gospel. I have been reading though Exodus, and for the past few days, the passages where God instructs Moses about the Ark and the Tabernacle the Jews would build for the Lord. Gold, silver, jewels, and acacia wood; the most costly of items. But even with the sacrifices and the glory of the temples, God did not want their sacrifices. He wanted their heart.

Here in the Philippines, in an old, shabby building of concrete and plywood, the God of heaven and earth was meeting with us. We do not need to build beautiful buildings or hang ornaments of gold. You see, God does not care about the venue. He does not take delight in guitars or correctly colored carpet. He only wants our heart.