WHY DO YOU LIFT YOUR HANDS?

The Pentecostal Movement at the turn of the 20th century and then the Charismatic Renewal from the 1960’s has changed the face of Christianity all around the world, and statistically something like 50% of the Christian world population today have been touched and impacted by this move of the Holy Spirit.
Every Christian movement develops its own “cultural” habits and practices, In certain parts of Asia for example during worship many Christians close their eyes and put there hand or hands on their heart, I guess to symbolise their heart’s desire toward God. The most common external practice seen amongst Pentecostals and Charismatics is the raising of hands during singing and worship. I wonder what percentage of these people know why they do it. Is it something they learned and picked up in their church culture, or do they truly understand the Biblical  basis and significance of this practice.
If someone with a gun in their hand  confronted you, almost instinctively you would raise your hands indicating I SURRENDER, this is perhaps the most important reason, we raise our hands. May our constant prayer be:

I SURRENDER ALL,ALL TO THEE MY BLESSED SAVIOUR I SURRENDER ALL AMEN

 
Other Scriptures suggest it is a sign of HUNGER AND THIRST.
Jesus promises in Matthew 5:6 NKJV Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled   In the MESSAGE Translation we read You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. 

Let us be like the deer we read about in Psalm 42:1 NKJV  As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  again I love the words as expressed in the MESSAGE Translation A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek, I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I’m thirsty for God alive.

I just read this afternoon Psalm 119:48 NKJV My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. As I read those words  I lifted my hands and said to the Lord:

I WILL GO WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO

I WILL SAY WHAT YOU WANT ME SAY

I WILL DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO

I WILL BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE.

I find it interesting the Psalmist linked LIFTING OF HANDS AND MEDITATION ON THE WORD OF GOD. Oh how we must let the WORD KEEP ON WORKING IN US. Let us spend more quality time reading and meditating on the Word of God.
So next time you are alone with the Lord, or in church, and raise your hands remember you are saying to the Lord:

I SURRENDER ALL

LORD I AM HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR YOU TODAY

I  BOW MY HEAD AND HEART TO YOUR COMMANDMENTS TODAY.

It is so easy in church life to get “religious” and go “through the motions” may our external actions, like the lifting of our hands  always line up with the cry of our heart