Hands Lifted Up

      We all worship in different ways. Some of us praise God in a quiet way, keeping our joy and thanksgiving inside our hearts and minds, silently offering them to God. Others of us cannot sit or stand still as we clap our hands, raise our arms, singing our worship in a spirit of outward expression. Both ways, and anything in between, if done in sincerity and honesty toward God, are acceptable and honorable to our God who deserves all our praise.

      As we think specifically about our posture when we worship and approach God, there seems to be something special about lifting our hands and raising our arms toward heaven and God. These worshipful gestures may symbolize our desire to reach out and touch God, to invite his presence into our lives, and to unite ourselves with a person outside of our selves.

      This physical reaching toward God during worship and devotional time may also be a cry for help and strength for our daily walk, or a specific crisis in our lives. I am reminded of the story in the Old Testament when the Israelites were fighting one of their early battles after they came out of Egypt. Moses watched from a nearby hillside with his arms raised toward heaven, toward God for strength in the battle. As long as Moses’ arms were raised toward God the Israelites pushed back the enemy. However, when Moses’ arms dropped down, the enemy began to win. Moses’ arms were a symbolic channel for God’s grace and providential intervention.

      I recently ran across an article from the Associated Press written by Rob Maaddi. The story was about a 29 year-old wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles named Jason Avant who raises his hands to heaven after each catch of the football. As the story unfolds, we see that Jason is celebrating much more than catching a pass or scoring a touchdown.

      “Jason was 12 when he started selling drugs. He went to elementary school high on drugs and alcohol. Jason soon joined a gang on the South Side of Chicago, surviving shootings, and running from the police. Yet, somehow and with a praying Granny, Jason escaped that life unlike so many of his friends.”

      On May 4, 2003, Jason met Jesus and his life was changed forever. He turned his back on his former life and began to study the Bible even more than his football playbook. Jason testifies today, “When I lift my hands up, it’s me saying ‘Lord, I know where I could be and I thank you for where I am.’”

      So, as we leave this old year behind, maybe we can say, “Lord, I thank you for being with me last year, I know where I could be without you, I want you to go with me into the New Year. I lift my hands to you in praise, honor, and thanksgiving.” Just as the people of the Old and New Testaments were people with an eye to the future, we too can look to the New Year with expectations from a God who keeps his promises. We look, our hands lifted toward the God of the future, the God of hope, made possible by Jesus who became one of us.

 

Rev Tim McConnell Long’s Chapel UMC January  6, 2012