I don't know if you've had the chance to read Let the Nations Be Glad but you should make time! When you do you will find that one of Piper's key points is that to truly have a passion for missions we must have a passion for God - a passion expressed as worship.
But let me share an honest reflection from my own experience: Sometimes when we are first really learning to worship we find that it is an acquired taste. Meaning, we don't necessarily know what it looks or feels like. We are hard-wired in our sin nature away from worship and toward self, so when we seek to turn that around we may wonder if we are doing it right.
I remember as a new Christian not feeling and wanting the things that older, seasoned believers told me were "normal" for Christians. I struggled with prayer, with Bible study - and with worship. In each case, I had to ask God to give me that desire, that passion. I went on the assumption that He would give me what I was supposed to have, but I felt like something was wrong because it wasn't there "automatically".
What I have learned over the years is that for me, the things of the Spirit must be nurtured and developed in my life, rather than being an automatic presence. After 11 years or so of quiet times I still have to drag myself out of bed - but I have learned that it's okay to pray and ask Him to make it worthwhile. I've learned it's okay to wake up in His arms - literally!
Learning to worship for me is like learning to eat healthy after spending too much of my life eating junk food. With each piece of fruit and salad, I retrain my taste buds. Likewise, with each time of focusing intentionally on God, I reorient myself spiritually away from self and onto Him.
That's a long introduction to this video. Before this morning I'd never heard of the group or the song - but it is such a blessing to me now. It hearkens the story of David & Mephibosheth in 2 Sam 9. Mephibosheth you recall from 2 Sam 4:4 was Jonathan's lame son. David calls him to the table to dine with the king - but Mephibosheth doesn't know that David's intentions are fellowship. And the picture, of course, is one of Christ and us. I won't waste any more words introducing this except to say that this is one of those videos that will give you a taste for the things of God, to help develop that worship which is so essential to having a heart for the kingdom.
2 Samuel 9:1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's [1] table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
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