Worship: Hands | February 15, 2023

There are so many ways to worship God! To respond to Him and show Him that we love Him. One way is with our hands. Read the following Scriptures about using our hands to worship God. What do you notice about each passage? What are hands used for? 

Open Hands

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

⁷ If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Lifted Hands

 Psalm 141:2

May my prayer be set before you like incense;
    may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Nehemiah 8:6

 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” 

Exodus 17:10-15

The Amalekites Defeated

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³ So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. ¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” ¹⁵ Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.

Clapping Hands

Psalm 47:1

Clap your hands, all you nations;
    shout to God with cries of joy.

Reflect: Do you use your hands in worship? Some do. Some don’t. Think about why you do, or why you don’t. What are some obstacles for you when it comes to using your hands to worship?