One Heart and One Purpose
One of the key verses in Scripture on the topic of worship is Jeremiah 32:39: “I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship Me forever.” Every time the Lord gives us a command, He is revealing His heart. In this verse, He asks for one thing: our worship. Most kings ask for service, but the King of Kings desires our love.
He begins by saying, “I will give.” We receive the heart of worship directly from the Lord, and yet we receive it as we encounter Him – and we encounter Him through worship. So worship leads to encounter, which leads to more worship – and it’s a continual cycle of going deeper and deeper into His heart.
Then He says, “I will give them.” The word “them” signifies a corporate expression. The heart of worship here is not promised to an individual but to a people, to a corporate setting. And yet, the word “them” is plural because it must happen within each person before we can come together and worship corporately. Where could we go in worship if, when we came together, the Lord knew He could trust every single person? How would He manifest His glory?
“I will give them one heart.” There is really only one heart, and it is the heart of Jesus. Through worship, He gives us the privilege to join His heart and become one with Him. That’s why He says, “Abide in me, and I in you.” What is the Christian life if it isn’t union with Christ? What is the purpose of the bridal language of Scripture if it isn’t to become one with the Beloved? This “one heart” is the heart of Jesus, and through worship we have the privilege of entering into His heart.
“I will give them one heart and one purpose.” When we enter into the heart of Jesus, we find that only one thing is needed. Outside His heart, many things are needed – but when we have entered in, only one thing is needed – to love Him. The Song of Solomon says, “The king has brought me into His chambers.” One translation says, “The king has brought me into His bedroom.” And there only one thing is needed – to behold Him, and to love Him.
“I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship.” In the New Testament, the word for worship is proskuneo. It comes from two Greek words meaning “facing” and “to kiss.” So the literal meaning of the word worship is “to face another and kiss.” “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, for Your love is better than wine” (Song of Sol. 1:2).
The verse continues, “To worship Me.” The kiss of worship takes us into union with the One we love. God’s request for worship is not selfish. Rather, it is a giving of ourselves to the only One who is supreme holiness, purity, and truth. The highest good is to be one with the One who is good.
“To worship Me forever.” In heaven, there will be no need to work, or preach, or write books, or pray for healing – but in heaven we will still worship. So as we worship here, we are entering into what we will do for all of eternity – to worship Jesus forever.
Worship is heaven on earth. “I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship Me forever.”
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.