Celebrate God's Love and Power

Content library Celebrate God's Love and Power
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Southeast Christian Church

Apr 7, 2023

When we worship, whether or not you raise your hands is not the point. You are taking a posture of receiving from God’s compassion, mercy, and grace. We're offering him praise, but as we do, we are experiencing his love and kindness as we see throughout the Psalms.

Raising hands in worship is most commonly used to express honor. It's lifting God up. In the Old Testament, hands raised would've been a way of showing that your hands were clean before entering the tabernacle. So, in the New Testament, in 1 Timothy, Paul says, “I want men everywhere to lift up clean hands, to lift up holy hands.” It's this idea that your hands are clean, not because of your good deeds or righteousness, but because of God's grace in your life.

Hands raised are also a sign of agreement. If asked how many of you had breakfast this morning, a lot of you would raise your hand as a way to say, “That's true of me.” So, when we worship, that's what we're doing. We're saying that what I'm singing is my identity. I align myself with these truths.

As David ends Psalm 63, he says, “I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” When we worship, we are giving to God. But when you worship, you are changed, and your soul starts to be satisfied. You begin to have your perspective change. You begin to find rest and peace. You begin to find security and strength.

Reflection/Discussion Question: How has worship changed you?

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