Raising Unclenched Fists

“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” (1 Timothy 2:8, HCSB)

Jesus once told a Samaritan woman that God seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. But what does that look like? How can we be the kind of worshipers that God seeks?

I believe that Paul answers that question for us in this verse. I don’t know about you, but arguing comes as easy for me as hunger. I don’t have to look for arguments; they find me! For the longest time I felt that I could argue someone into becoming a Christian. Sometimes I still try…

But Paul told his son in the faith that the true measurement of worship is not winning an argument. (And I think that Paul was the kind of guy who could have argued anyone under the table!) True worship is to be found in people praying and lifting up holy hands to God without anger or argument.

You see, lifting hands is a universal act of surrender, and this is a true expression of our worship. Thus, we surrender the need to win the argument. We give up on having it our own way. We let go of the person with whom we are fighting. We’re releasing our bones of contention in order to lift up holy hands to the Lord. This is the kind of worship that pleases God. These are the worshipers He seeks.

Today we begin forty days of Seeking God for the City. Let’s begin by doing what God says. Let’s let go of whatever bones we may have to pick with one another. If we would unite holy hands in prayer then we must first unclench angry fists!