Hand Raising in Worship

That would be describing the sin of pride which we all battle against. We should hate the sin that dwells in our flesh and always fight it with the power of the Holy Spirit, so the fruits of the Holy Spirit win over our personal sin that does battle with the Spirit.

Romans 7
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

This is reality. The fruit of the spirit does not always win. Sometimes we lose the battle. It's humbling, showing us daily that without Grace, we are helpless. Only with Grace, we can be very full of hope. Thus we see the Glory of God. God allows even Christians to sin. Whenever we sin and see our sin of pride, we must praise God because without Grace, that's all we could do by ourself.

We were once enemies, rebels, hating God, wanting our pride. Blasphemers, idolators, haters of God. When our personal sin causes us to be proud again we see how powerfully sinful we are when left to ourselves.

Purify our hearts God! Interceed for us and for all in the beloved body of Christ, we pray!

Praise be to God who rescues us from this body of death!

 

After Godly sorrow and confession of my sin, ... back to the main topic where we left off.

It seems to me that emotions are a very important part of worship.

The Holy Spirit recalls Scripture to my mind that causes deep emotions of love back to God, which then creates another strong desire to spend more time in the Word of God, Scripture, to drink more deeply of the Grace of God.

Sometimes I listen to music on my Mp3 player during my run. I wish I could share my favorite song list with everyone. So many of them stir up such remembrances of Holy Scriptures that give me a glimpse of Gods grace, mercy, and love. Emotions of joy and love are so deep at some points once my mind is filled with Scripture with song.

I usually don't raise my hands on my runs on my treadmill. It's enough that I've loaded up my mind with multiple truths from Scripture that are so mind-blowing, my heart is overflowing.

It seems raising my hands would not add to that mind and heart expression of prayer and love back to God so I don't do it. I also might lose my balance. But in corporate worship together it encourages me to see others raise their hands and arms. I share in what they are expressing together as I see others.

The key is to prepare beforehand on Saturday and Sunday morning before worship by reading, listening to worship, and praying. Then those with hands in the air add to my expression of love, rather than distract.

To know we are unified in our love to God together, edifies and builds up our love for God, rather than being individualistic in our love to God.

 

Today, it turned out that I had to sit further back so I could see better. Out of around 1,000 people I saw about 20-30 people raising their hands high enough to see, so that's 1-2%.