Palms up, palms down
Shaking fist at the sky
We sometimes feel defiantly toward God or the universe. We absurdly wish to shake our clenched fists at the very one who gave us fists and who made us able to clench and shake them.
We also can choose, to a certain extent, to live peacefully with God. That’s my choice, most of the time, made possible because the God who made it possible to defy him, also made it possible to submit to him.
I often like to begin my days with a little exercise that includes moving my hands to express my reverence toward God: palms up, palms down, palms up.
Palms up: beginning with my hands outstretched in front of me and palms pointing up toward God, I say something like this to him: “Lord, thank you for your presence in the world and in my life. I acknowledge that you are Lord and you know all that is happening.” It is like a hand wave to a human, indicating openness (and lack of a weapon).
Palms down: I turn my palms facing down to the earth and say something like this: “Lord, please take from me everything that displeases you. As I learn what that is, I promise to cooperate with you in removing it. Make me more of what you want me to be.” It’s like holding something undesirable in one’s hands and then dumping it out.
Palms up: I turn my palms back to the up-facing position in a gesture of submissive expectation. I say something like this: “Dear Lord, please fill me with your love, your Holy Spirit, your truth and your grace so I can be more like Jesus.” It’s like holding one’s hands underneath gushing water on a hot, thirsty day.
I’ve been unable to determine from where this palms up-palms down-palms up ritual comes. For a while, I thought it might come from the Quakers. I’m pretty sure I didn’t originate it, although I have added to and embellished it. Open palms are more peaceful than clenched fists.
It reminds me vaguely of that wonderful, ancient prayer, “Day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, to follow thee more nearly.” It sometimes is attributed to Richard of Chichester (c. 1198-1253), the thirteenth-century English bishop. It’s still a pretty good prayer!
