DAY 31 - WHY DO WE LIFT OUR HANDS IN WORSHIP ?

Scripture Reading: Ps 63:3-4, 134:1-2, 141:2

Ps 63:3-4
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Ps 134:1-2
Behold, bless the LORD, All you servants of the LORD, Who by night stand in the house of the LORD! 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the LORD.

Ps 141:2
2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.


Discussion

In the early 70s, the lifting of hands in worship was always linked to those who were flowing with the Charismatic Renewal. It was the Charismatic trade mark. When the 90s approached, we found this form of worship spreading rapidly into many mainline church denominations. We now no longer think the lifting of hands as a Charismatic expression.

But why do we lift our hands when we worship ? The scriptures we have read give us 2 suggestions.

Firstly, we bless the Lord when we lift our hands to him. "Lift your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord". Have you ever been joyful when someone blessed you with a gift ? Well, I am sure God will be happy when He sees us blessing Him with the lifting of our hands.

Secondly, we offer a sacrifice when we lift our hands. The lifting of our hands is symbolic of the surrendering our lives to God. We are offering our lives as a sacrifice. We are saying to God, "We yield our lives to You".

The next time you lift your hands to God, remember the significance of your action.


Prayer

Father, I pray that I will lift my hands in Your sanctuary to bless You and in acknowledgement that my life is yielded to Your sovereign will.


© Copyright. Ng Wah Lok 2002