Love to hear from and know who is listening
When I was a kid, children used their imagination to entertain themselves, because we didn't have all the electronic devices. A common game we played was “Cops and Robbers.” The good guy would chase the bad guy until the bad guy finally surrendered. The child playing the cop would yell out stick'em up then the bad guy would hold their hands in the air, but not until they had no other option to get away from the good guy. This is not to much different from reality. If you have every watched the reality TV show “Cops” the person evading the police will do anything including endangering themselves and others before finally surrendering to the police and being arrested. As they are being arrested the police will tell them to put their hands in the air and walk slowly backwards towards their voice. My favorite story of “Cops and Robbers” is about my nephews, Dillon and Zachery. Dillon was the Cop and Zachery was the robber. While Zachery was attempting to allude his brother he decided to run to the basement. He fell done the stairs and broke his leg, but he didn't surrender until he could no longer run away. During times of war when the opponent is surrounded and there is no other option they lay down their weapons, raise their hands in the air and surrender. Raising your hands in the air is a universal symbol of surrender.
In Exodus 17 when the Amalekites try to attack the Israelites, Moses must find a way to defend the people. Moses knows they cannot defend themselves against the Amalekites without God. He knows the power of the Lord is the only way to save the Israelites, so he holds up his hands as if to proclaim his own unworthiness, as if to say, "We can't do this on our own. We need You."
Exodus 17:11 NIV As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
With God on their side, the Israelites have the victory. But when Moses stops surrendering to God, the enemy swoops in, ready to attack. Surrendering is what makes them powerful. This idea is found all throughout the Bible. Another example is in 2nd Corinthians, when Paul talks about his "thorn in the flesh," or weakness. He seems grateful the thorn is there, saying he can now "boast" of his weakness because he is made strong through it. When he is weak, he must call on God, who then empowers him to overcome the obstacle.
2 Corinthians 12: 8-9 NIV Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
When people raise their hands during worship at church, whether they know it or not, they are admitting that they are weak and without any power aside from the power they receive through the Holy Spirit. They're praising God by physically and publicly demonstrating to Him that they need Him. So why is it so difficult for me raise my hands in church and surrendered to God. Just like when my nephews Dillon and Zachery were playing “Cops and Robbers” in order for me to raise my hands and surrender I run from God until I have exhausted my options and I have no other choice but to surrender to God. Paul and the Israelites got victory, but first they had to acknowledge their own weakness. When we admit we can't do anything without God, we actually become stronger through that confession because we invite God to strengthen and guide us. Once you have God on your side, you can't be defeated.
