Whereas I have sought to bring attention to the importance of a foundational HEART AFTER GOD in the course of these little devotional essays—believing this internal disposition is essential for living and functioning within the boundaries of a victorious Christian life, I now follow up with this question for the sake of reiteration and clarification: WHAT DOES A HEART AFTER GOD LOOK LIKE? I am presently inspired with this answer: IT LOOKS LIKE THE FOCUS VERSE ABOVE. That is, a HEART AFTER GOD is a heart that genuinely resonates with the same praise and acclamation of those heavenly beings who sing, “You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor, and power, for you created all things, and by your plan they were created and exist!”
I have to reason that those heavenly singers are empowered to see and know things clearly—with far greater clarity than we are presently allowed from this earthly perspective. The best we can do is to view their realm from a distance as “through a glass, darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12). Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for me to get on board as best I can with their perspective.
In making this idea personal and practical, I suggest that the FOCUS VERSE above can also serve as a standard for testing and determining whether or not we truly possess this essential quality of heart, mind, and soul—a HEART AFTER GOD. Therefore, if you sense your own heart vibrating with an emotional YES! YES! YES! with this heavenly song, because you really and truly know and believe how absolutely dependent you are upon your Sovereign Maker for EVERYTHING—truly believing that ALL THINGS, including yourself, exist for this very divine purpose—so that this affirmation permeates and saturates everything you think and do—then you can be sure that you possess an essential HEART AFTER GOD. On the other hand, if there is no such thing as this description welling up from your inmost being, you simply do not have a HEART AFTER GOD. Sorry. I think it is just that pure and simple by sound Biblical standards.
A key word that drives this expression of worship is “worthy.” I take that to mean that these heavenly beings are not motivated by self-centered fear or a quest for personal benefit—not concerned with any consequences or punishment for not joining in this song of praise. They are motivated by their Maker’s WORTHINESS—that because He so extravagantly created and sustains all things—that He abundantly DESERVES their worship—that they have a sacred obligation to worship—to the point that they cannot NOT praise and worship Him. To be sure, however, this HEART AFTER GOD is and will be richly rewarded—an absolute TRUTH the enemy of our souls does not want us to know.