The purpose of prayer and worship

In going through "A treatise concerning religious affections" by Jonathan Edwards and Sam Storms interpretive book on the same work "Signs of the Spirit" I have been finding myself quite challenged.

As someone who primarily relates to God intellectually I have been constantly prodded while working through these texts.

Here's something that has been gnawing at me since I read it several days ago and is very similar to Jude's post a day ago, but the way Storm articulated it was striking. I think this was a great book for our little group to go through:

"We are not to pray as if our petitions inform God of what he doesn't already know or change his mind or prevail on him to bestow mercy that he was otherwise disinclined to give. Rather we pray "to affect our own hearts with the things we express, and so to prepare us to receive the blessings we ask." In fact, virtually all external expressions of worship "can be of no further use, than as they have some tendancy to affect our own hearts, or the hearts of others."

He develops this point and moves on to worship, saying "God is most glorified in his people when their hearts are most satisfied."

He lists off many rituals, beliefs, acts, charities etc. and explains that "without holy affections, all such activities and the effort to advertise them are nothing but wind."

And then this one hit me like a sledge hammer:

"Those who insist on the intellect of man or the doctrinal accuracy of his thoughts as the pinnacle of religious expression need to consider that no idea or attitude or theory or doctrine is of any value that does not inflame the heart and stir the affections in love and joy and fear of God."

I'd like to hear some thoughts on these ideas Sam articulates that Edwards penned many, many years ago. I have certainly been challenged.