My song of the night! Been complaining far too much about AA205. But I was just thinking about how good the Lord has been to me. Even in trying times, He stood with me all along. And when I'm happy, He's always there to share the joy. Chorus: You are my shield, my strength, my portion, deliverer. My shelter, strong tower, my very present help in time of need. Say amen! My very present help in time of need :)

Not too long ago, in my memory, I recalled people asked why do we have to lift our hands when worshipping. Clarification once and for all: it's not a must. Christians can give you 1001 reasons to answer such a plain question. The answer is plain as well - it's an act of joy and surrender.

Joy: I always like to use the analogy of a little child to illustrate my point. When you're a blessed and very happy kid who loves his/her father a lot and when you run towards him, you stretch your arms wide and sprint into the arms of your protector.

Surrender: duh when people surrender they lift hands not hide them behind their backs or keep them in their pockets. It probably has something to do with natural reaction too, when you want to let something go you stretch outwards, you don't hide when you actually already meant that you want to surrender.

Of course, no one would deny that a portion of people who lift their hands are doing it for show. Don't care them lor, they are answerable for their actions. But if you choose not to lift your hands just because you hate to lose face or don't want to be in the same league as the negative examples, then that's your own problem to settle within yourself lor.

Another group of people would also argue that they can still worship God without lifting hands. Can, of course can lah. But so far, for myself, when I'm very happy and joyful in His presence, I simply cannot stand there like a block of wood, I must let it out. Like a kid who's happy lah, when the father says he'll buy him the trendiest psp, you think he will listen if you ask him to stop jumping up and down in joy? Or ask him not to jump so high but pretend he's happy but not that crazily happy?

That's the lovely nature of kids, they are true to their emotions and character. Adults ah, must be prim and proper. Sad but don't show it in your face you're sad. Furious with the person but still act friendly at the same time. Then happy also must keep inside otherwise very malu. Anyway, don't bother to act dignified in front of God leh, He is GOD leh. He created You and knows you inside out, the horrendous songs you sing in the bathroom and faces you made in the mirror, He already knows them all.

So, when those people act all so calm and composed during worship, are they doing it for fear of others labeling them ah siaos, or doing it for themselves to maintain a self-image? Whatever excuse it is, just don't say it's for God. "God says I must maintain an image". Rubbish, quote me anything from the Bible that says that. Being a Christian doesn't require you to build and maintain and image then be a good faith follower, you first desire to be a faithful child of God and your 'image' builds up automatically thereafter. God doesn't need you to be like a statue in His house of praise; worship,to me, is in fact one of the best personal times you can have with Him.

So, if you're shy to lift your hands, don't be k? It is seriously just a way of expressing yourself, it's not even a heinous crime or sin. Like when you're full of respect and in awe of someone you bow, when you're overwhelmed with an emotion you shout. And if you're one of those who used to look at people with weird eyes when they jump or lift hands, don't be k? Wait till one day you experience that same joy :)

Woah I tell you lor, in heaven I'm going to find people to compete with me. See who jump higher, see who stretch the hands longer. Heee such a joke.