Scripture clearly teaches that the worship of God needs to be a priority in the life of every Christian. Godly worship is a 24/7 lifestyle that can be manifested in various ways.
As some of you may know, I spent many years teaching Junior High students. Many times I would say to a student, “Your body language is saying something to me that you really should not be saying.” Their words were fine but their “body language” was showing disrespect.
“Body language” matters. Communication is much more than words.
What “body language” do you use in worship?
Paul instructed people to pray with lifted hands.
In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. (1 Timothy 2:8 NLT)
David prayed with lifted hands.
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer. (Psalm 63:4 NLT)
Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
and my upraised hands as an evening offering. (Psalm 141:2 NLT)
The wise men bowed down to worship Jesus.
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. …. (Matthew 2:11 NLT)
Psalm 95:6 is an exhortation to bow down before the Lord.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! (Psalm 95:6 ESV)
Paul fell to his knees when he was praying.
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, … (Ephesians 3:14 NLT)
Jesus looked up to heaven and said a blessing.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. … . (Mark 6:41 ESV)
Jesus prayed with his face to the ground.
He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39 NLT)
Joshua prayed with his face to the ground.
At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?” (Joshua 5:14 NLT)
Solomon stood and lifted his hands toward heaven.
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven, (1 Kings 8:22 NLT)
Various positions are appropriate in worship.
Lifted hands
Bowed down
Kneeling
Looking upward
Face to the ground
Standing
Sitting
More important than the physical position is the message your “body language” is communicating. Does your “body language” communicate submission, respect, humility, reverence and obedience
or
does your body language communicate showmanship and pride?
Remember, “body language” is an outward expression of what is in the heart.
Standing, sitting, kneeling, lying down, looking up or looking down, hands up or hands out are all fine. Just be sure that your “body language” is communicating what you want it to communicate…
Worshiping a Holy God.
(Be sure to read future posts that will discuss the importance of worshiping God.)
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (Philippians 2:9-10 ESV)
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