Thoughts of a Bible kid

• Jun. 19, 2009 - Place of Worship

This may seem to be a little strange for a first entry, but I'm writing to say what's been on my mind.

In 1 Timothy 2:8, it says "In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy(emphasis added)."

When Paul says that he wants us to pray he doesn't just mean one of those prayers you recite from memory; the one you pray every day at the dinner table, just minus the "please bless this food" part. But when he says 'pray' he means all sort of things. Of course there's prayer, singing, any kind of way of acknowledging or praising God, really.

Also, what would be the definition of a "place of worship"? A place where you worship, right? What's worship? Honoring, praising, loving, praying to, glorifying, and living for God. So basically, we should always be worshiping. That means that every place you go is a place for worship.

If every place you go is a place of worship, and you should always be worshiping, then what else is there? We need to be free from all anger and controversy. How do you do that? Be loving, humble, and willing to sacrifice. Once you've got these things down, I guarantee it will be a lot easier to be free from all anger and controversy.

So when we're told to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, that can only mean this: worship without ceasing, correct yourself when you make mistakes, and live your life as though it's a melody unto the Lord- because it is.