So today I just want to admit to a pet peeve of mine. There is a song we sing in worship entitled "I Stand In Awe of You". The lyrics are:
You are beautiful beyond description
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful of comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp you infinite wisdom
Who can fathom the depth of your love
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above
And I stand, I stand in awe of you
I stand, I stand in awe of you
Holy God to whom all praise is due
I stand in awe of you.
Every time we sing this song in our worship our worship leader motions for everyone to stand and everyone does...except me that is. You see, I don't understand why saying "I stand in awe of you" warrants a physical posture? There are many different definitions of stand and stand in awe is considered to be "To be in a specified state or condition" not "To rise to an upright position on the feet". (check dictionary.com)
But for the sake of argument let's just say I am wrong and the lyrics actually do mean to rise to your feet and we are faithful to do it everytime we sing it. Then why is it when we sing "I lift my hands", a few lift hands, but when we sing we bow down or I bow down I never see one person bow??? I do try to bow my head as I physically cannot get down and back up, and perhaps I am being judgemental and other people are actually bowing their heads as well. But...my pet peeve is that it is never as many people bowing or lifting hands as "standing in awe", when it doesn't even mean to physically rise. Just makes no sense to me.
8 comments:
Thank you!! That has always bothered me, too. Often, it hurts me physically to stand, due to numerous physical ailments. And if all around me hop to their feet and I don't, I'm perceived as the slob who doesn't stand in awe of God. Bummer.
Thanks for starting this campaign!
Good point! I stand because others start to stand. But I do not raise my hands. I think though there are several ways to do these things-physically, mentally, spiritually.
It is a matter of your heart. Each person's heart, which only God knows. I have struggled with lifting my hands, even when I feel prompted to. I have been praying about this and I am getting less self-conscious or afraid or whatever it is. My focus should not be on me or how I look or how I think I look. It should be a response to God-in music or worship or in nature-wherever. For me, it has started with me opening my hands during prayer because it helps me to be mindful of receiving, listening instead of being closed or tight fisted or simply not listening to God's promptings. God knows our hearts though, Lynn.
Amen, Sister! It always drives me crazy when we do things like that just because it is in the song. I thinking it started with "Standing on the Promises" and just went from there. Hee - Hee!
Kelley
I totally agree with you.
I like what all 3 said in response
to you. MM
This drives me and Chris nuts too! We always look at each other and giggle. :)
I completely agree! CP actually gave a shpeel (how do you spell that??) at the end of Kadesh last summer after we all said that we loved the worship at camp because nobody cared that they looked sliyy when they raised their hands and sang. I don't think I've ever heard CP sound like he did after we said that!
I don't understand why standing is such a big deal. Not even when we read the scripture during worship. Like, when you're little and you don't stand up when the guy leading worship tells you to and then your mom pulls you up.
That's the story of my life right there. That and every time my mom took me to the bathroom I knew it wasn't so I could go to the bathroom! :P Then again, I was a little rebel, so that may have something to do with that part.
Back to the main point of your post, Abby Hill doesn't like to stand up when she's "supposed to" either. She feels more "reverent" when she's sitting down. I don't remember why she does, but she just does.
I don't think we'll ever understand why basicaly everyone will stand, but they don't raise their hands or shout when the song says to. You know when we sing "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High" and the little kids do all those motions. Well, nobody in the youth group but me does it! Daniel always makes me stop. Why can't I do something that makes me enjoy the song, something that makes me feel the real meaning of the song. Maybe I'm just a weirdo, haha.
Oh, and thanks for my book!!! :D
-Bee-
I definitely agree! I have always wondered about always standing during that song. We used to sing it at camp all the time without standing up....
Well, I must be the only one to disagree... this has never even remotely bothered me. But, neither has someone raising their hands in worship or kneeling while praying. If it's in their hearts to do so, I admire their passion.
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