“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind].” [1 Timothy 2:8]
As an aside… Paul was also speaking to the women, to everyone – NO anger, disputing, quarreling, doubt – none AND lifting up holy hands! Do you say that this was for a ‘then’ not a ‘now’? How do you reason that? What’s your scriptural foundation? There are many verses that talk about lifting up our hands. A few are:
” “So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:4).
“May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2)
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” [Romans 12:1]
You do see ‘body’? My point is that the lifting of hands is definitely scriptural. No, I didn’t always know this. Do You remember the first time you were in a service and witnessed people raising their hands? I do. Slightly embarrassing? Did you know what to do? I think I did… but resisted. Honestly, I think in the middle of worship, I took my eyes off the focus of worship – the Lord – and put it on me. Silly, I know. But I do believe that my initial reaction was based in me. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit helped me to understand.
At the same time and related was a study I was doing on Freedom in Christ and came across many scriptures:
Galatians 5:1, 13
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. … “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”2 Corinthians 3:17
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”John 8:32. 36
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” …
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”Romans 8:1-4
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
I could cite other verses, but the points been made. WE are FREE in Christ. It is only through Him that our freedom lies. Now… how do I join that to the raising of hands? Simple. That expression of worship is entirely in our hands but what is it we intend? What sparks our worship? WHO are we worshipping? Do we even know how to worship?
Raising your hands may seem foreign to you but have you thought that maybe, just maybe your reaction is trumped by scripture and the reality that many people express their worship to the Lord by lifting their hands? I know that when I realized that my worship was literally in my hands that my reaction and expression changed. Ultimately whether you do or don’t, never let the expression by someone else expressing their worship refocus your worship from the Lord to yourself. Worship should always be an act of worshipping the Lord, who has made ALL the difference in your life.
