raise ’em up

Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!

~Psalm 134:2

Among Christians there can be a big brouhaha about the musical part of Sunday worship. Some demand solemn hymns—anything else is irreverent, they say. Others want loud, contemporary praise that blows off the roof. Sometimes, the desire for “a good show” strips this portion of a church service of all worship, turning it into mere performance. The bottom line to know is this: Doesn’t matter your taste for tempo or volume, just be sure that the words coming out of your mouth directed at the Lord are Biblically sound. Your songs are prayer and meant to be proclamations of truth, so do not compromise on this.

But another “oh-we-don’t-do-that” issue among believers is the physical action taken during praise and worship. Obviously, there’s a wide spectrum out there, from hands in pocket and mouthing words to running around the sanctuary with flags. But staying in the middle of this range, let’s talk raising hands.

So, I’m totally stealing the following points from my pastor. But when I heard him give this quick-hitting list from the pulpit—as a total aside to the verses on Galatians he was teaching—it struck me as a must-share concept. He didn’t elaborate at all, but I knew I needed to. He was not only advocating for raising hands in worship, he was pretty much slapping us upside the head for not (in a loving, pastoral way, of course). Here are the reasons he gave why lifting hands is a must-do:

• “Victory!” If you’ve ever been to a sporting event, whether a pro match of some sort or your small child’s, you’ve done this: a score is made and the game is won, and your arms shoot up with a shout from your mouth. “We won! We won!” Well, friend, thanks to the victory of Jesus, having conquered sin and death on our behalf, we are on the winning team! We have eternal victory through Him…and that’s much better than a win by our favorite football team!

• “Daddy, hold me!” Think about a toddler—maybe you have one (or two) now, or you may have to recall those days. When they’re afraid, tired, or anxious, all they want is to be held. So, from their near-ground-level perspective, they look up and reach up—with words or without—to say, “Hold me! Pick me up!” What an awesome reminder to us as children of God. He is our Abba—Daddy (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)—and will comfort us when we look up and reach for Him. 

• “Oooh! Oooh! I know the answer!” Not sure if you were this kind of student (or you mocked those who were), but I loved knowing the right answers in school. I’d raise my hand high in hopes of being chosen—had to make all that studying worthwhile. In times of praise to our Lord, all believers know the Answer! Jesus! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Narrow Road. So, let’s raise our hands high in that knowledge.

• “I surrender!” Now, from my pastor, this was hysterical because our church is a “movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus.” And, we have a very wide swath of church fam. So, he could correctly point out that many of us would relate to raising hands in surrender when confronted by the police. But so can every single believer. We have all surrendered our lives—our wants, our desires, and our will—to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And we know the joy of that surrender. So, lifting our arms in worship is a simple reminder of this beautiful truth. 

•  “Help!” (This one is my own addition to the list.) Think about when someone is need of saving—struggling in the water, having fallen and unable to get up, or frantically trying to get the attention of another to come give assistance. Arms up is a response of absolute desperation. Aren’t we all in this place more than we’d like to admit? Desperate for the Lord’s answers, comfort, peace? Let’s throw up our hands because He will provide—He is our very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Heavenly Father, I am so very grateful to be able to raise my hands to You in worship, whether recalling the victory I have in You, my surrender, or my absolute desperation…knowing You will always be there for me.