The Heart of Worship is Surrender

The heart of worship is surrender. - Rick Warren, Purpose driven life

I am reminded by the word surrender when the police arrests somebody and the suspect raises his hands up. With his hands high up in the air, he cannot right away grab something to his defense. It also signifies that he has nothing in his hands that will resist arrest. He is resigned to the fact that he has lost and the cops can take him away.

In worship, we raise our hands in surrender. We do not try defend our sinfulness, but we submit ourselves completely to his love and mercy. We let go of everything else we hold dear by emptying our hands of worldly possessions and emotional burdens. We acknowledge that only God can heal, satisfy and fill us through His grace.

With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised (Job 1:21).