Why we lift up our hands

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Why we lift up our hands

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Lifting our hands

Lifting our hands up is a gesture which can be a sign of worship and adoration, the swearing of a solemn oath - solemn meaning "serious". we see all throughout scripture God raising His hands as a sign of authority over His creation. and when God raises His hand something happens and it is serious.

First let’s find out to who we lift up our hands

Colossians 1:15–16 NIV
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
All things have been created through Him and for Him
so if we are created through Him means our existence is impossible without Him; and now we were created for Him what were we created to do?

We were created to worship Him

Worship is the reverential response of creation to the all-encompassing magnificence of God.
How magnificent?
lets look at Isaiah
Isaiah 6:1–6 NIV
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.

In the ot, worship encompassed a variety of activities.

Bringing forward an offering to God was an act of worship. Bowing down in the presence of God was an outward display of an inner attitude of reverence before the Creator. it could indicate that a person was “lifting up” or “exalting” God with praise. Together, these last two terms provide a rich image of worship: People both bow before God and lift him up in praise and wonder.
Psalm 63:3–4 NIV
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 141:1–2 NIV
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. 2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Hallelujah

The verb הָלַל (hālal) could be used to designate the act of celebrating God. The word “hallelujah” is derived from the Hebrew phrase הַלְלוּ־יָהּ (halĕlû-yāh), meaning “praise Yahweh.” This praise could involve “singing”). Worship could also be described as “serving” God. when we do things for others in christ love we worship God when we give our tithes and offering to the things of God we worship God when we help the poor we worship God when we help the widows we worship God when we offer our body to him we worship God
Romans 12:1 NIV
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
(worship leader comes up)
The nt carries over many of the actions described as worship in the ot.
example to bow down as an act of worship, signifies bending the knee or bowing in reverence to God. praising God bending our knees, lifting our hands, the singing of songs for the act of giving God glory, and for praising or blessing God.
1 Timothy 2:8 NIV
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.
When we stretch our hands out to God there is restoration

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

When we stretch our hands out to God there serious worship.

Yet a time is coming

and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The forms of worship are diverse.

Worship can take place in the context of confession, lament, praise, thanksgiving, and adoration. Confession is a form of worship recognizing that we are sinners who stand in need of God’s grace (Psa 51:1–19). Lament (deep sorrow) is a type of worship that recognizes the distance between the world as experienced, and as it should be, given God’s goodness, power, and love (Psa 44:1–26). It is a request for God to complete his project of making all things new. Praise of God can be in response to his character or his saving acts (Exod 15:1–21). Thanksgiving functions as a means of showing gratitude for what God has done (Psa 138:1–8). Adoration involves contemplating and lauding extol or exalt God for who he is (Psa 8:1–4). Worship could manifest itself in many activities, including song, dance, coming to church, preaching, and prayer. The people of Israel sang and played instruments in praise of God (1 Chr 25:6); King David danced before the Lord (2 Sam 6:14). God gave the Israelites a series of festivals that were meant as annual reminders of his saving deeds in the past and his continual provision in the present (e.g., Lev 23; Deut 16:1–17). Physically, worship could involve bowing the knee, lying prostrate, or lifting hands before God (e.g., 1 Sam 1:26; Jer 18:20; 2 Chron 6:13; Ps 5:8; 28:2; 99:5; Isa 1:15).

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.

Why we lift our hands?

because He is our creator and we were created by Him for Him to worship Him because He is worthy
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