I Lift My Hands. . .

Last Spring, I took my son John to an outdoor concert in Tempe Arizona. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and we really enjoyed the experience, even though I didn’t really enjoy the band personally. The band we heard is called Skillet and while they’re a Christian band, their style is a bit too much like the acid rock from my teen years for me to appreciate. (I know I sound just like my parents did then, don’t I?)

As I sat at the concert watching John enjoy it I noticed a number of things: I noticed that those who did like it were singing along, had their hands raised, sometimes were breaking out in yelling and cheering, and more, not to mention that at the end of each song, they broke out in loud verbal, and physical applause that included such gestures as jumping up and down, clapping with hands raised above their heads, as well as yelling until they were hoarse.

A few months later while I was in Mexico I visited a church where the same kind of behavior was going on. The difference between the two was that these expressions of praise, adoration, and appreciation were directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ instead of a popular band.

Honestly, my conservative side didn’t like it at first. I mean, weren’t they getting a bit carried away? I certainly was raised differently and the worship was a bit. . . more than I was accustomed to. As I thought about it though, I realized that I was holding onto a wrong attitude. Think about it for a moment: if we are so very willing to show that much adoration for a popular singer, or sports star, or even politician doesn’t the Lord, Jesus Christ deserve just as much adoration? Isn’t He, above everyone, worthy of that kind of enthusiasm?

Interestingly, in the Bible we see examples of that kind of adoration. King David was actually chastised by his wife for getting too carried away: so much so that he stripped off his clothing and danced before the Lord with all his heart. (2 Samuel 6)  It’s interesting to note that King David is the one man in the Bible that God actually says was a man “after His heart.” Could this act be one of those reasons?

And, we see in Nehemiah eight that all the people lifted their hands in adoration, while verbally praising God. If you read that passage, you’ll see that the people first lifted their hands in worship, and then fell down on their faces before the Lord. Ezra, who was their leader, then tells them NOT to mourn, cry, weep, but instead to be joyful and feast and rejoice. They are to do this because this demonstrates that the day is holy.

Too both Psalm 63 and 134 actually command people to praise God, and while praising Him to lift up their hands. Psalm 63 tells us we do this because “His loving kindness is better than life.”  It further describes the Psalmist desire for God as something that is akin to thirst in a dry and dusty land.

Which leads me back to my realization: if God really is who we believe He is, isn’t He worthy of at least as much, and as verbal, and as physical praise as a rock singer? And, relating to how I was raised, if I’m refusing to give that to Him, am I really honoring Him? 

So, next Sunday if you come to my church, maybe, just maybe, you'll see me. I'll be the one whose worshiping the One who is worthy of all my praise with all of my heart. (Not so sure about the dancing thing, but you'll probably see my hands raised in adoration, and you might see me sway a bit.) Then again, maybe you won't see me since you'll be so taken up praising God you won't notice me. 

Praise to the. . . Man?

Praise to the Man is a LDS hymn that I was reminded of recently. It’s a hymn that was originally written as a poem right after Joseph Smith, first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was killed. The poet wrote it from the depths of his grief and with great admiration for the man he considered a true modern day prophet of God. It was later set to the music of “Scotland the Brave,” a patriotic Scottish song, and is sung by faithful LDS people to this day.

I can appreciate a song written to honor a person you greatly admire. I’m reminded of the song by Elton John titled “Candle In the Wind” dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, or the song by Vince Gill called “Go Rest High on that Mountain,” devoted to Keith Whitley. Both of these songs are ones I enjoy, and like “Praise to the Man” reflect the deep sorrow and pain the death of the person caused to the artist.

However, as I search the pages of my Bible I am concerned about this type of praise: praise given to a man. Paul actually warns us against giving glory to any man in 1 Corinthians 3:21. Luke recounts in Acts 12 how Herod took glory for himself and was immediately struck dead. Paul seems to be very aware of this and tells us that he, himself is deathly afraid of taking the glory on himself in both 2 Corinthians and Galatians. (In Galatians 6:14 he actually says “but God forbid that I should glory. . .” And, in the book of Romans Paul gives a very stern warning against “changing the image of the incorruptible God into that made like a corruptible man” (Romans 1:23) He actually says those who do this are “fools.”

And really Paul, in his warnings about not glorifying man, but instead giving all glory to God, is quoting what God has said about Himself from the very beginning:

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another. . . Isaiah. 42:8

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Malachi 2:2

From Genesis 1:1 we see in scripture how there really is only One ever who is worthy of praise and honor: God Himself. And, the Psalms are full of that praise. Try an experiment: go to Biblegateway.com and search for the keywords glory, and praise. The Bible teaches us that the Heavens declare God’s glory, that man should declare His glory, and that the angels themselves declare His glory. He, and He alone, is worthy of our praise, and to praise and glorify anyone, or anything, else really is biblically speaking, idolatry.

So when we sing or listen to songs that glorify people, we really do need to check our hearts: are we giving someone the praise or glory that rightly belongs to only God? And, are we putting our leaders in the place that rightly belongs to God? Remember what happened to Herod when he allowed that to happen? God hasn’t changed.