Day 227 - Authentic Worship
Monica Barnes
“Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.” - Psalms 28:2 NLT
“I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.” - Psalms 143:6 NIV
Have you ever lifted your hands in surrender to God without being prompted by a worship leader?
When we lift our hands, we outwardly express our need for the Lord and His mercy, grace, and love. I love David’s simile in Psalms 143:6 after showing us his hands stretching out to God: “I thirst for you like a parched land.” This depiction is what our worship should look like – like we can’t survive without Him. We should thirst for God. He is our living water, and we should crave Him in our lives, not just when we worship. We should never be embarrassed or ashamed to lift our hands to Him; raising them before someone asks us to is more than okay. We should show God how much we need Him.
Understanding why we raise our hands during worship is essential. However, it is more important to be authentic in worship. If someone isn’t raising their hands, it’s okay. Everyone worships the Lord in their own way, but the worship isn’t authentic if they aren’t raising their hands due to fear.
Being authentic in worship is equivalent to showing humility in worship.
Next Steps
- Think about it: Am I afraid to lift my hands in worship? Why or why not?
- Action Step: Remember yesterday’s challenge? Do that again today, but this time, try spreading out your hands and reach for God like you are parched land, and He is the only water available.