fathom blog

Stand Up

 

Tonight I want you to understand something.  For this to have a chance to work you need to do what I am going to ask you to do.  Just do what is written.  Even if you feel weird or scared, do it…because that is what we want to explore tonight.

 

Take a minute to clear your mind a bit.  Take five deep breaths.  Breathe in slowly…exhale slowly. Let your thoughts center on God. Now stand up.

Lift your eyes to heaven.  Look through the ceiling and think on the God who loves you. Raise your hands high toward heaven. Start to pray to Him.  What ever is in your mind, whoever comes to your mind, whatever is in your soul, pray it to Jesus.

 

Sit down.  How did that feel?  Did you even do it?  Were you scared, embarrassed, self-conscious?

I am often scared and self-conscious about standing, raising my hands, or kneeling in prayer and worship. 

WHY DO WE?  WHY SHOULD I do it?

What is the point? What does it do? What does it mean?

 

Read Psalm 25.

 

What in the world does standing, lifting my hands, or kneeling in prayer and worship have to do with Psalm 25?

 

Good Question.

 

Look at verse one.

 

What is it saying?  What does it mean?  Take some time and think about it. Write about it.  There is a deep truth in those nine words.

“to You, oh Lord, I lift up my soul”

 

 

 

Here is the truth.  We have the ability to DIRECT our soul.  To point it, guide it, steer it in a sense to where we want to focus.

This Psalm writer may or may not have “felt” like worshiping God or praising Him.

But he begins by “lifting up his soul” to the Lord.

 

 

This is why people stand, raise their hands, kneel in worship and prayer.  It allows us to direct our soul, heart, and mind to God even when we do not feel like it.  When we do something with our body it has an affect on our mind and soul.  By lifting your arms high to God, your soul will follow that movement and become directed to God.  As you lift your arms, and your soul follows, you fill your mind, not with wondering what other people are thinking, but with praise and worship.

Look what the Psalm writer fills his soul with as he lifts it to the Lord:

In vs 2 he puts his trust in God.

In vs 3 he puts his hope in God.

In vs 4 he puts his mind in God.

In vs 5 he puts his salvation in God.

In vs 6 finds love and mercy in God.

In vs 7 he finds forgiveness in God.

In vs 8 he praises God.

In vs 9 he leans on God.

In vs 10 he exults the faithfulness of God.

In vs 11 he gives glory to God’s great work.

In vs 12 he examines his own heart in the sight of the Lord.

In vs 13 he celebrates his future in the Lord.

In vs 14 he hears from the Lord.

In vs 15 he focus his LIFE on the Lord.

In vs 16 he waits on the Lord.

In vs 17 he CRIES for the Lord.

In vs 18 he OPENS his heart to the Lord.

In vs 19 he acknowledges his FEARS to the Lord.

In vs 20 he takes REFUGE in the Lord.

In vs 21 he chooses INTEGRETY (what I do when no one is watching) for the Lord.

In vs 22 he NEEDS the Lord.

 

As you stand and lift your hands to the Lord forget about who is around you and let your SOUL, HEART, and MIND be filled with the presence of God.  Pour yourself out to Him. Trust, hope, lean, find, give, ask, dream, praise, and worship the only true God who LOVES you and is able to save.

 

For more examples of this check out Psalm 42:4, 86:4, 143:8, and 146:1.

 

Stand and give your life wholly to God.  That is the heart of LENT.  That is the call of the Christian life.  It is something we choose to do, not always something we feel like doing.  So, choose to lift up your soul to the Lord. And find life and freedom in it!