What to do with my hands?

I love people watching, but more than that I love to observe people's hands.  Yep, I know, kinda strange. :)  Some people are very comfortable with their hands, others - not so much.   I used to love to watch Ms. Vera peel an apple :) Her hands were so graceful. I also find it interesting to watch people's hands in worship. For some their hands are lifted high, others have their hands folded or holding tightly to the pew in front of them.  So that brings me to the question, just what am I supposed to do with my hands?

This past weekend was a wonderful worship experience at my church with Bethany Barr Phillips.  As I was thinking about it, my mind went to an old hymn ... 

"When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be. 

When we all see Jesus we'll sing and shout the victory!"  

What a great old hymn! 
I sometimes wonder what some people think heaven will be like, or sound like!?  That hymn says there will be rejoicing and singing and shouting. I bet there will be lifting of hands and it might even get a little loud :)

Sunday night I was sitting in my office listening to One Voice warm up and I grabbed my Bible and opened it randomly. It opened to Revelation.  The passage I read said, "thousands and millions of angels will gather around the throne and they will sing a mighty chorus".   Can you picture it? I bet there will be hands lifted in praise as they sing that "mighty chorus". I bet facial expressions will be happy and smiling. I bet the sound of thousands and millions of voices will get pretty loud! 

I've heard that worship on earth is practice for worship in heaven, so, why don't we see more rejoicing, singing, and shouting in our worship services?  Why do speakers have to ask for an Amen?  Why when people lift their hands in worship does it makes others so uncomfortable? Why do people look bored?  Why aren't people rejoicing and singing and shouting? 

Both Old Testament and New Testament tell us that our relationship with God
should involve our  heart, mind, soul, and strength. It involves all that we are. 

Worship involves heart, mind, soul and strength, too.  

(Michael Morrison / What is Worship?)

Worship is personal - it's between you and God. Worship is meant to be directed upward. It's meant to be a sincere expression of your love for your Savior.  This weekend I felt a freedom to worship like I haven't felt in a long time and it was amazing!  I have finally come to that place of worship when I raise my hands in praise it doesn't even occur to me that "someone might be watching."   I've learned that physical worship is like a person who feels the need to "talk with their hands".  I've heard it said about some people, "If you tied their hands behind their back they wouldn't be able to speak."  Well, that how I feel about worship, my hands are helping me to express my worship.  As it was said above - heart, soul, mind and strength -    I'm all in!


So, I now want to ask you the question... what do you do with your hands? 
Well, you'll have to decide that for yourself.  But, whether you lift your hands in praise or fold them quietly in your lap one thing is for sure - God is looking for honest, true worship that comes from a sincere heart. When we come to Him wholeheartedly, there is great freedom in our worship! 

Newsboys sing a song that says; 

"I wanna live with abandon,
Give you all that I am,
Every part of my heart, Jesus
I place in Your hands.
I wanna live with abandon."


As for me, I want to live and worship with abandon!