“Everyone raise your hands, close your eyes and lets sing to the Lord,” said the worship leader.  Everyone closed their eyes and began singing, every hand in the room lifted in praise while singing in adoration of Jesus.  The woman joined in, holding nothing back.

In another church the worship leader said, “As we sing this next song, if you feel the Holy Spirit move you, raise your hands in the air and worship, our Lord Jesus Christ,” Everyone began to sing but only a few hands were raised in the air this time.  As the song progressed a feeling of wanting to lift her hands in praise came over her, but instead of raising her hands, this time she held back, worried, ‘what people would think if she raised her hands. Would they look at her and think something is wrong with her?’

The song continued  and the struggle went on inside, the feeling of wanting to raise her hands growing stronger… Raise your hands! No don’t do it! Yes do it! No! Yes!

Suddenly her hand went up and then the other, soon it felt as if there was nobody in the room but her and her Lord. As she sang to the One who had given her all she soon became lost in the moment and at this very moment He also had her all.

When the song was over she collapsed to her chair and she wept. The struggle that had went on for so long seemed exhausting and now she felt somehow relieved but at the same time she felt ashamed of her actions. She wasn’t ashamed because she had raised her hands, but instead she felt ashamed of the times she had not raised them and once again she had almost allowed her fear of what other people may think get in the way of something that was nobody’s business but her own and God’s.

Jesus went to the cross, to take everything for her.  He had went unashamed and He never worried about what other people thought. He had stood up for her to save her! How could she have ever considered not raising her hands high in the air in worship and praise for Him? 

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Today is Music Monday and this week the song that moved me is ‘Forever’ by Kari Jobe.

The first time I heard this song was about 2 months ago at a concert.  At that concert as she sang this song, everyone around me had their hands raised up high in the air, some were even crying tears of adoration as they worshiped. It was one of those moments that I too lost myself in the worship, and yes my hands were raised high in the air

I will admit like the woman at the beginning of this story, hand raising is really hard for me, but at that concert everyone else was raising their hands too, so it was easy to raise my hands up high.

It’s always easy to do something if everyone else is doing it, but what about if nobody else is doing it and you’re the only one?

I was not raised in church so I haven’t been in a whole lot of churches, but in the small handful of churches that I have I attended not a whole lot of people have raised their hands during the music. I am now about 5 years into my church life and I will admit, I still find myself holding back when it comes to the hand raising in church.

I’m sure if you pass me in my car you will most likely see me with a hand in the air because I am always driving down the road singing.  My hands in the car are always flying all over the place. Sometimes I have to be careful because I realize I not only raise my hands but I also point my finger and that sure makes for an uncomfortable feeling when you realize some guy in another car is staring at you thinking your having a fit of road rage 😀

Though I am a regular hand raiser when I am by myself, when I’m in church it’s a totally different story, I freeze up if the hand tries to slip in the air.  Something I have realized in the past few weeks is that I don’t want to be that way anymore. I just want to live full out where ever the spirit leads, because its not about what anybody else thinks. It’s truly only about what God thinks!

As I write this I worry that I may get some flack for this post and want you to know that If you are not a hand raiser, please know I am not saying there is anything at all wrong with a person not raising their hands in worship.  Each person worships in their own special way and this is not a blog post telling people how they should worship. That is between each individual and God and there is no right or wrong way to worship.  All I am saying here is that we should not hold back from going to those places that the Holy Spirit moves us to be. For some it may be hand raising while for others it could be just sitting quietly listening as the music plays.

If you feel the nudging of the Spirit, no matter what it is or where you are just do it!

Also remember if that feeling is the urge to raise your hands and you choose to sit on them instead you’re most likely going to be missing out on a wonderful blessing.

Also remember, God’s opinion is the only opinion that matters!

“Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive

He is alive!”

The words to this song not only move me but also watching Kari as she sings it is moving too. Though she is on stage in front of hundreds of people she looks as if she is singing as if no one is watching.

Her hands are lifted high as she sings, “Forever He is glorified, Forever He is lifted high, Forever He is risen, He is alive, He is alive!”

Happy Monday! Enjoy the song and while you listen worship like nobody is watching!

Have a great week!

 

 

Today we are doing a link up. If you have a song that moved you this week write a blog post about it and then come back and link up by clicking the blue button below.

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