"Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!" [Psalm 134 NKJV].
There are times, during a church service...especially when the music is beautiful and the words elevating...that I feel like standing and lifting my hands to the Lord in praise. I feel like it...but I don't. Some say that those who stand to praise the Lord are doing so to attract attention to themselves. In some cases that may be true, but what if the real motive is one of being driven by a spirit within our hearts; a spirit of praise and thanksgiving. Then what should one do?
Are we...am I...to stifle a outward praise to the Lord? Are we...am I to concede that it is more reverent, more respectful, more mature, more acceptable to be conforming and be certain to remain within the boundaries of what is considered Adventist propriety.
Oftentimes church is too quiet. There are too few people saying "Amen" too few times. I know of one man who will stand in church. I know of one woman who will lift her hands in praise. Neither of them are Adventists.
One of these days Alice, one of these days...Pow! I'm gonna stand up right in their faces and give the Lord the praise my heart longs to do. I will lift up my hands (a two hand'r) and praise the Lord and just deal with the questioning looks.
Lord, give me the courage to praise You, to bless You, to thank You outwardly, regardless of what others think in...of all places...church.
But maybe I should just sit on my hands and be a good little Puritan. What say you? I'd like to know.
"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross; lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss."
The words of that old hymn; what do they mean?
Blessings. e.c.
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