I have been in church for almost 25 years. Wow, that's a long time now that I look at it. I know that we were created for worship and either our worship will be on target, the creator, or misguided on the created things. In church, particularly the music, is a time to sing (or make a joyful noise as Psalm states) to God and praise him. So often in my head I let "loose" and could see myself dancing around and having a good 'ole time praising God but alas, my introverted self would never ever do that: bust a move in church. In my head though, I'm having a good time. Now, this is not with every song but sometimes, I feel the urge.
Recently I began to think about eternity and how I will be praising God and worshiping him forever and I am quite sure that hands raised in the air will be something that I can't resist but will join with all the saints and sing my heart out. Maybe even bust a groove. Maybe.
I had to finally get over my self consciousness in church and raise my hand. I have found this posture of worship very uncomfortable for me but thinking ahead to eternity, I thought I would give it a shot. There are times I still feel uncomfortable and that is when I have think on things above. Then I think, should I raise my right hand, or my left? Maybe both? I quickly respond no to both. Then a verse comes to mind:
Isaiah 44:20: He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
This verse leads me to raise my right hand for the sole sake of opening any lies I hold dear to me and giving them to God, releasing what I hold dear that is not of God, but of man.
How about you? Do you worship with hands raised? Do you determine which hand to raise during which chorus or verse? Perhaps I still have a ways to go on this hand-raising thing, but hopefully one day, with abandon, I won't think through the motions but rather just celebrate with the spirit.
3 comments:
Well several years ago my church changed pastors. The new pastor wanted everybody to jump and shout and I don't praise that way. I felt a little uncomfortable. He made it seem that if you didn't jump and shout you weren't feeling the spirit.
I do raise my hands and cry I can't help it when I feel the spirit tears always come to my eyes.
That's how I feel the spirit.
i've gone back and forth on this for a long time! it's a good discussion point to bring up!
i am so uncomfortable doing that in church, and i know my husband is not a fan either. so when we're in church, i don't. out of respect for him since he's sitting next to me, and i've also recently made peace with the fact that this is who i am...God created me with this more reserved personality, so i'm not going to try to be someone i'm not just because it seems like the right thing to do and everyone's doing it around me.
everyone's different...this is just what i've been led to do for me. :0)
now...get me in the car alone with some good p&w on the radio, and i'll totally let loose! hand raised, singing at the top of my lungs...but only when the Spirit moves me.
good things to think about, KV! i'm so glad you brought this up! it's good to wrestle with these questions in our Christian lives. :0)
Can count on one hand (ha ha) the number of times I raised my hands at our previous church. It's taken several years, but I'm so comfortable now. It's freeing. I do when I "feel" it and don't if I don't. I really think God is concerned about the posture of your heart not your hands.
Post a Comment