Raising My Hands in Church

You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. . . On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. Joshua 6:3-4

Looking back over the years, I’ve blogged about this subject a couple of times previously and I’m afraid I’ve not changed much in my stoicism. I grew up in a church where the atmosphere was quite reserved and attending a more charismatic church has now exposed me to more hand raising, hip swaying, and vocal outbursts, but it hasn’t made me want to join in. Once, in church, when I had a kink in my shoulder and went to stretch my arm, my wife thought I was raising my hand in worship and turned to me in disbelief. She knows how I am and the thought of me being expressive in church was shocking.

If I’m honest, this is largely about my pride. I look at some who’re loudly expressing themselves and I assume they’re doing it for show. My pride is offended by their pride. Then there are those who seem sincere but also just seem weird. My pride doesn’t want to be weird. There are those however, whom I admire – those who simply don’t care what anyone thinks. They know they need God, and they worship without shame or embarrassment. I’m afraid I’m not there yet and this worries me. Is my pride getting in the way of my faith?

This is the question that came to mind when I read today’s passage. In the story, as the Israelites descended on the walled city of Jericho, we’re told the inhabitants quaked in fear. God didn’t instruct his people to attack though. Instead, he commanded them to march around the city daily for a week. I’ve got to wonder if the Israelites felt stupid. This was not conventional warfare. This was absurd. I’d even be willing to bet that those in Jericho began to feel relief. What were we worried about? These guys are morons. God’s people obeyed though, and on the seventh day, the walls miraculously fell.

Is my pride getting in the way of my faith? Would I have obeyed God, marching around the city, even if it made me feel stupid? Or would I have missed out on God’s plan because of my ego. This isn’t really about raising my hands in church. It’s about my pride. Pride points me to self, away from God, and so, God hates my pride. While I’m following myself, I can’t follow God, which is my greatest life problem. So, daily, I must continue to make a genuine effort to abandon my ego, following God without shame or embarrassment. I’m not yet convinced that this means that I’ll raise my hands in church anytime soon, but I’ll keep you posted.