I Raise My Hands…

I Raise My Hands…9-20-25

If you pass me on the road, you will probably see me singing, see my sporadic hand raised in worship and praise. Sometimes, I am self conscious as I know the people who pass don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t want any road rage from this crazy lady waving her hand and singing with eyes sometimes closing. (I do really try to make sure my eyes are open.)

You see, this has been on my heart for some time. I am a Baptist. We are typically not known for raising our hands in worship. Occasionally, I see some do this. I am a very self conscious person. When I enter a room, I immediately search for someone I know. I go to that person because I am an introvert. I love my extrovert friends. They are my inspiration. I constantly push myself out of my comfort zone.

The point of this, the more I worship, the more I want to praise Him. My inward praise is pushing outward to proclaim to the world. My whole being screams of His glory. I noticed about a month ago that I have begun to clasp my hands behind me when I sing in church. Why do I do this? Why can’t I get out of my mind, self conscious, and praise Him openly without feeling like I’m being “too much”.

Psalm 134:2, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.” Psalm 63:4, “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Throughout the book of Psalms, lifting the hands and singing praises is a resounding theme of worship. I can see David doing this as a boy, as a man, and then as a King. Paul refers to lifting hands in prayer in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.” I read a commentary that described contrite or forced worship as contradictory to our inward worship to God.

I believe in my heart that each person’s individual expression of worship comes from their relationship with God. I want my answer to the above questions to be this.. I need to get out of my head and into my heart with worship. I do not need to even think about what others might think or say. Raise my hands freely when the Spirit leads, and refrain from doing so when I am in accordance with His will. When I don’t feel Him pushing my hands to the sky in worship, I will not.

So, if you pass this crazy lady in a truck, or Twizzler car (there is a story here), and the driver has her hands raised to the heavens singing, sometimes with tears streaming, just smile and pass on by. She is worshipping her Lord and Savior. If you see me in church with my hand lifted, eyes closed, singing off key, smile and know, I am with my Lord in worship. I will praise Him in all circumstances, in all places, in the way He leads.