In a worship service, you might see people standing up for singing or for hearing God’s Word. You might see people raising their hands, kneeling down, or clapping to the beat of the music. Some people might be holding their arms in front of them with palms facing up, while others might lift them high, like they’re trying to touch the ceiling.
What’s it all about?
Christians have good reason for doing these things, but it’s important to remember that worshiping God is not like a make believe magic formula. It’s not like “If I lift my hands a certain way at a certain time, God will be pleased. Otherwise, He won’t.” Or, “If I take just the right posture when I’m praying, God will hear my prayer. Otherwise, it won’t work.”
But still, God created us as spiritual and physical beings. You can’t separate your beliefs from your behavior. So, how we feel about God on the inside will influence how we act on the outside. And the postures we take with our physical body can help us to have the right attitude on the inside.
In this fourth installment of our weekly “Worship Practices Explained” series, let’s look at why you may be asked to stand for the reading of the Bible in a church service:
Why Stand For Scripture Reading?
A worship service is a conversation between God and His people. The clearest way He speaks to us is through His written Word, the Bible. When we read it, God speaks to us. Isn’t it easier to pay attention to something when you stand for it?
When a judge walks into a courtroom, the command “All rise!” brings everyone to their feet. The distance between our all powerful, eternal God and us is much greater than the distance between a human judge and people in his courtroom. But in another way, because God adopted us into His family, the distance is far less. For both reasons — respect for His authority and love for His mercy –Â it is good to stand when He speaks.
Straight From The Source: Nehemiah 8:2,5
“So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand … Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.”
Past Articles In This Series:
Why Do Some Christians Clap Hands In Church?
Why Many Christians Raise Their Hands When Singing and Praying
