Worship

Worship is a controversial subject not only from denomination to denomination, but from church to church. Do we use instruments? If so, do we just use an organ or are other instruments okay? Do we stick to traditional hymns? Or is it okay to add more contemporary songs? Is it acceptable to raise our hands? Can we dance? Can we prostrate ourselves at the altar? Ask these questions to ten different people, and you’ll come back with at least twenty different answers.

Personally, I don’t believe any one form of worship is the “right” way to worship. I’ve worshiped in churches that sang only hymns with no instruments, hymns with just an organ, just acoustic worship, hymns and contemporary songs, and churches whose worship could have been mistaken for a concert. Are any of these “right?” Are any of these “wrong?” No. Everyone worships differently. What matters is where your heart is.

Do I enjoy slow, old, out of tune hymns with no music? Nope. Do I feel a sense of worship when the music is so loud and there’s so many lights flashing I can’t hear myself think? Nope. But that’s just me, and who am I to judge the hearts of those around me? A heart of worship may come in one environment for one person, and a completely different environment for someone else.

Now, while I maintain that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to worship, there are wrong attitudes and wrong practices of worship. One specific thing that never fails to anger me is many “Christians” attitude toward one certain worship practice: the raising of hands.

Only once have I heard a semi-logical  argument against this practice. Most of the time people have no reason why they dislike it, yet they adamantly oppose it.The only time I’ve heard an argument against it that had any basis, the practice was compared to the Tower of Babel; trying to physically reach God. And if that’s your mind set when you raise your hands, then yes, that is wrong.

The raising of hands is not an act of trying to reach God. Raising your hands is an act of complete surrender.

In self defense, one of the first things you learn, and something that is constantly repeated, is to protect your center. Everything important and vital in your body can be found along that center line. You angle your body away, pull your arms in tight, and never raise your hands above your eyes, always, always guarding you center.

Raising your hands leaves everything open. Raising your hands leaves everything vulnerable. Raising your hands leaves everything completely exposed. It is a sign of surrender. You are leaving yourself at the mercy of whoever may be present. In worship, raising your hands is complete and utter surrender to God.