Lifting hands during worship

Why do we do it? I mean I know there are places in the Bible where it says to, but I get almost angry with the worship leader when he says "Lift your hands up!" and I do it because he said to. I don't worship God with my hands, and it feels awkward when I try to.
 
Yea, I don't like that either... but I do lift up my hands for me, as a child to the father who wants to be with him.

Psalms 28:2 (KJV)
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Psalms 63:4 (KJV)
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Psalms 134 (KJV)
A Song of degrees. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all [ye] servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands [in] the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

Lamentations 3:41 (KJV)
Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.

Hebrews 12:12-13 (KJV)
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

It's also an example of surrendering to the Lord when we battle Him in our flesh. "I surrender" is how I look at it now.
 
Well intuitively I would not lift my hands during a song to God. It's not in my nature to worship with my flesh. I don't like to dance, lift hands, none of that.

God knows I want to be with him, I don't need to raise my hands, as if that does anything.

Maybe it's because I am an introvert?
 
Well intuitively I would not lift my hands during a song to God. It's not in my nature to worship with my flesh. I don't like to dance, lift hands, none of that.

God knows I want to be with him, I don't need to raise my hands, as if that does anything.

Maybe it's because I am an introvert?
All the more reason to do it, to put the flesh to death without killing yourself. We have to work out our own salvation in fear and trembling.
 
I'm a major extrovert and I'm not a fan of of the raised hands/arms thing either. Yet at a rock concert I have no problem and actually quite often throw up the horns when a jam comes on that I like. Hmmm, just realized that.

I'm sure part of it has to do with being raised Catholic. One doesn't really see that kind of stuff at mass. After that I was going to a Methodist service, or as I like to call it, Catholic light. They don't really do the raised hands either. Now that I'm attending a nondenom, some do, some don't. Who knows, maybe as time goes on I'll feel differently.

My wife, who studies internal energy and such, tells me we are more capable in the transference of energy with an open palm, for what it's worth.
 
I am an introvert and I like to lift my hands up during singing I think that it is dependent on everyone’s nature and habits.
I feel differently when I raise my hands. I do it to express that I want to praise God, honor Him and to express that I belong to Him. But I believe that other people can express this by different ways.
 
I myself have many times felt a joy while worshipping but never felt to lift my hands but often smile because of this joy and sometimes snicker because of my joy.
 
Well intuitively I would not lift my hands during a song to God. It's not in my nature to worship with my flesh. I don't like to dance, lift hands, none of that.

God knows I want to be with him, I don't need to raise my hands, as if that does anything.

Maybe it's because I am an introvert?
I think being a father is a great blessing! We can so many things about our heavenly Father.. For example, I know my daughter loves me.. There is no need for her to tell that to me.. But when she needs me most, she will raise her hands up so that I can lift her up.. When she is troubled, or when she is joyed, when she wants to be simply with me.. Worship is very much similar to that.. I see lifting our hands as a sign of surrendering ourselves so that Lord can lift us up.. After realizing this, I raise my hands more freely these days during worship :)
 
Well intuitively I would not lift my hands during a song to God. It's not in my nature to worship with my flesh. I don't like to dance, lift hands, none of that.

God knows I want to be with him, I don't need to raise my hands, as if that does anything.

Maybe it's because I am an introvert?

Nehemiah 8:6
"And Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with faces to the ground".

Seems to me that raising hands points toward the worship experience.

Jews used to pray with hands lifted and palms up so that they could catch the blessing God would send to them.
 
Surrendering isn't something i'm good at either Cosmic and I think that is the reason I get a feeling of contempt when I see everyone going worship mode in front of me. If I had surrendered in my life i'd be dead atm so my barriers in my brain scream for me to not be weak. Maybe we just have a protective mechanism in our brains because we are fearful of being weak from past experiences? I know I do at least.
 
Raising your hands in worshiping God: Not a bad thing.
Telling others to do it: Seems unauthentic. Maybe I'm being too critical, but for some, this becomes a distraction just for the individual that wouldn't do it.

One parish I used to attend regularly has a habit of everyone holding hands during the Our Father prayer. The traditional practice was to fold hands. I won't raise a fuss if people are doing this, but I remember earlier this year when I did this, someone was almost trying to break my hands apart so that I'd hold her hands.

The reason why I prefer to not do this is because it has become a distraction for me while praying. I prefer to fold my hands because it allows me to focus more on the prayer and less on what is happening around me. It's not meant to be stuck up or shy, but simply putting full energy in the prayer.

If raising hands is the natural bodily response to prayer, then that's well and good. If it distracts from the worship process, then that's another thing.

Sadly, I'd been having a lot of problems at my regular parish and am currently searching for a different one -- for the most part, one that offers sincere reverence to worship.
 
I'm a major extrovert and I'm not a fan of of the raised hands/arms thing either. Yet at a rock concert I have no problem and actually quite often throw up the horns when a jam comes on that I like. Hmmm, just realized that.

I'm sure part of it has to do with being raised Catholic. One doesn't really see that kind of stuff at mass. After that I was going to a Methodist service, or as I like to call it, Catholic light. They don't really do the raised hands either. Now that I'm attending a nondenom, some do, some don't. Who knows, maybe as time goes on I'll feel differently.

My wife, who studies internal energy and such, tells me we are more capable in the transference of energy with an open palm, for what it's worth.
I'm curious... How can you go to a rock concert and make devil signs with a clean conscience? I'm assuming it's Christian rock? I gave up all forms of blasphemous music.
 
I'm curious... How can you go to a rock concert and make devil signs with a clean conscience? I'm assuming it's Christian rock? I gave up all forms of blasphemous music.

To answer your question, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. And, no, it is not Christian rock. I am speaking of bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne, Godsmack, Disturbed, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Poison, and various other heavy metal, hard rock, classic/southern rock, and hair bands. I am an old school headbanger who grew up listening to and loving my secular rock music. Nowadays I still listen to all of this music, along with Christian music. too. I also play the music on guitar.

Jesus hung out with blue collar workers and hookers. How else are we supposed to reach the lost if we do not venture to where the lost are? This is also part of the reason why I am involved with the Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club. The DCMC rides with the Warlocks, Outlaws, and various other 1% MCs. You'd be surprised of the power of the Christian influence when inserted into that kind of scenario. We're all sinners, brother.

And with regard to "devil signs," I must respectfully say that is incorrect. Well, incorrect depending on usage, that is. No different than a swastika being used for good or evil. I would encourage you to check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_of_the_horns and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye. The evil eye is in the Old Testament. In the context that rockers use it, it simply means rock 'n' roll, just like the cross means Christianity. Of course, I'm sure you're aware that most all of our Christian symbols, holidays, customs, etc. came from paganism, right? http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/pagan-symbols.html Again, it's all in the usage and intent.

Of course, as Romans 14:14 states, if this stuff is unclean to you then it is. However, the same does not hold true for me.

\m/
 
Jesus hung out with blue collar workers and hookers. How else are we supposed to reach the lost if we do not venture to where the lost are?

Not to get too far off topic, but one thing Jesus never did was partake or condone what they did when he reached out to the lost. He befriended them, offered them true love, invested a friendship with each of them, but told them exactly what they probably didn't want to hear.

I'm not making any assumptions of you and the music you're into, but you used one of the most overly used phrases people say in order to justify their actions.
 
I grew up in a church where nobody (and I mean nobody) ever raised their hands during the hymns, first of all because this was pre-PowerPoint and everyone sang from hymnals, so there would have been a lot of dropping hymnals on the floor and such. Even if we hadn't used hymnals in my childhood church, I think the people there would have been "suspicious" of someone raising their hands and it would have been a bit awkward for everyone. So ever since then I have never raised my hands while singing in church because I think my childhood church made me self-conscious about that sort of thing. Which brings up a good question: Why should I be self-conscious when I'm worshipping? I guess I never really thought about this before but I think it would good for me to reflect on it more.
 
Not to get too far off topic, but one thing Jesus never did was partake or condone what they did when he reached out to the lost. He befriended them, offered them true love, invested a friendship with each of them, but told them exactly what they probably didn't want to hear.

I'm not making any assumptions of you and the music you're into, but you used one of the most overly used phrases people say in order to justify their actions.
I am aware of the overuse but your (non)assumptions are also correct. I drink and sometimes even get drunk (completely different than being a drunkard), I consume marijuana, I smoke cigars (quit cigarettes a few years ago), my language can rival that of a sailor's if the situation dictates, and there's also some other things I could mention but won't in this particular venue. I also believe that the LORD knows what He's doing with me.

Of course, the flip side is that I'm also a Religion major at UCF and will most likely attend Seminary and lead or found a church. Go figure, right? [emoji6]
 
I am aware of the overuse but your (non)assumptions are also correct. I drink and sometimes even get drunk (completely different than being a drunkard), I consume marijuana, I smoke cigars (quit cigarettes a few years ago), my language can rival that of a sailor's if the situation dictates, and there's also some other things I could mention but won't in this particular venue. I also believe that the LORD knows what He's doing with me.

Of course, the flip side is that I'm also a Religion major at UCF and will most likely attend Seminary and lead or found a church. Go figure, right? [emoji6]
I just realized your username is TH420X... haha

I used to smoke pot, but I stopped when I became a Christian. It didn't give me the same feeling ever since.
 
I am aware of the overuse but your (non)assumptions are also correct. I drink and sometimes even get drunk (completely different than being a drunkard), I consume marijuana, I smoke cigars (quit cigarettes a few years ago), my language can rival that of a sailor's if the situation dictates, and there's also some other things I could mention but won't in this particular venue. I also believe that the LORD knows what He's doing with me.

Of course, the flip side is that I'm also a Religion major at UCF and will most likely attend Seminary and lead or found a church. Go figure, right? [emoji6]

It definitely leads to more questions and maybe a more interesting discussion.
Cigars and alcohol are ambiguous, especially since for some people (like myself), I don't see any spiritual harm with these -- generally speaking...but getting drunk and high for the sake of getting drunk and high, or a use of language (I don't know what you say and in what context)...out of curiosity, do you think you're doing the right thing with these or do you believe it's something you need to address?
 
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