Raise Your Hands

For those of you who don’t know, we have a disabled grandson named Jack. We call him Jack Jack. He was born with a rare brain abnormality TUBB2BPMG. It took Katie and Tyler several years, several doctors, and trips to different states to discover what caused Jack’s developmental delays, seizures, and what his life would look like.  

In church on Easter, Jack’s arms would go every time Brother Bryan raised his hands to the Lord. At the end of the service, after the choir stopped singing and the orchestra was finished, Jack raised his hands up and began to clap. Everyone else joined in, and Brother Bryan said thank you, Jack.   So many people told me later how it was so awesome to see a little boy 5 years old with his hands up in the air when almost everyone else in the congregation had their arms at their sides.  

Ever since Jack was a baby, he has been to church. One of the first things I taught him was that when I said, “Praise the Lord,” he would raise his hands.  

How many of us take the time to raise our hands in praise?  

Jack has no cares in the world. It doesn’t bother him what anyone else thinks. He sees life differently. He raises his hands and claps and claps, and when he does, people join in. He doesn’t compare his life to others. He is the happiest child I know what we have learned from a little boy with a disability.  

This weekend in the Bible Recap, we reviewed some of the Psalms written by Asaph. Asaph was a Levite and musician who led King David’s court. Asaph didn’t begin as positively; he was full of envy and bitterness at those who seemed wicked but prospered. However, his perspective shifted when he worshipped God—when he started raising those hands. Psalm 73: 25 states that Asaph says, “And earth has nothing I desire beside you.”

 Nearness to God truly fed his soul. Asaph was then able to take his eyes off of others and himself and fix his eyes on what truly matters in life. He quoted, “When his heart was pricked, his heart shifted.”

 Asaph became a psalmist whose entire job was to praise God and serve him. He learned that his heart’s proximity to God determined his view of the world, and the view is better the closer you get to God.  

I will be honest: having a grandchild with disabilities has brought some anxiety, and at times, you can be bitter and or ask the why questions, but when I fix my eyes on Jesus and think what a blessing Jack-Jack is not just to our family but to others that is when my perspective shifts and my heart is full.   When I quit scrolling and comparing what I think is normal, I realized that what is normal to some isn’t normal to others. When I quit comparing viewing things to what the world says things should look like. Comparison is not only the thief of joy but also the thief of faith. When I raise my hands and praise the Lord, I am content.  

So, raise our hands in praise. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus. Let’s be like Jack and not hold back on clapping and cheering for Jesus and each other. Let’s quit scrolling, quit comparing, and stop viewing normal as what the world says. Let our hearts be pricked and shifted, and let’s RAISE OUR HANDS!  

We are going to say that the higher the hands, the closer to God. I have decided that anytime my mind starts to go south, anytime I begin to scroll, anytime I am negative, I’m going to raise my hands in praise. 

So, this week, to find JOY, don’t forget:

*Begin every day with Jesus, start in His word, fix your eyes on him, and stay near him every day.  

*Do something for Others- serving others as Jesus served.

*And don’t forget about YOU fill your cup so you can fill other cups.

Raise those hands in praise!!

As Father Mike says, I’ll pray for you. You pray for me.

Have a blessed week! Cupcake loves you all.