Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

14 June 2024

Reading From Psalms 134, 146-150

“Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
    who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
    and praise the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
    he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

—Psalm 134

There are many ways to show praise and adoration to the Lord. One of them is to raise our hands in worship. Across most cultures, lifting up one’s hands is a sign of surrender. Yielding to the movement of the Holy Spirit is key to our spiritual health and lifting up our hands is a sign of that inner reality.

Another powerful symbol of lifting up our hands is an imitation of a child. When my kids want me to pick them up, they lift up their hands to me and say, “Up, Daddy! Up!” I gladly lift them up from the ground and embrace them in love. So it is with our Father God. We lift up His Name, lifting up our hands pleading, “Up, Abba! Up!” He joyfully lifts our spirits and fills us with love as we worship Him.

“Where Your Spirit is, there is freedom. I pray that Your children will be free to worship as You lead them. Increase our experience of the joy of Your Presence as we praise Your holy Name. We love You, Lord. Amen.”

In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. —I Timothy 2:8