In a christian prayer, why must one close their eyes and raise their hands?

Question

Its seems like everytime they pray, they are kind of like on a toilet, no offense intended pls...

Answer 1

There is no question, then, that the Lord's Prayer tells us much about offering prayers that please God. But did Jesus intend that we take this prayer and simply recite it regularly?

Further Counsel on Prayer
Jesus gave further instructions on prayer. At Matthew 6:5, 6, we read: "When you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites; because they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the broad ways to be visible to men. . . . You, however, when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you." These words teach us that prayer should not be offered in a showy, ostentatious way so as to impress someone. Do you pour out your heart to Jehovah privately, as the Bible urges?—Psalm 62:8.
Our prayers are to be sincere from the heart. There is not position in which we should pray, but I don't understand why the hands go up. Jesus prayed with his eyes closed and hands together, so did others in bible times. So there is a perfect example of what we should do.
Just remember that you must approach God in a respectful manner. Would you want someone who is talking to you to wave their hands while they do it???

Answer 2

Some people do that, but it is not necessary. I pray driving down the street. Not a place to close ones eyes and raise the hands. If fact even in church I don't raise my hands, that would be a bit odd in my church. Closing your eyes helps some people to focus better. I do that for serious prayer/meditation/trance.

Answer 3

you raise your hands when you are on the pot?

it is not something one must do. in fact that is just a personal choice for most people. at least where i am from. On the east coast and the mid-way it seems like a lot more people get into that kind of praise. you can stand with your eyes open and head straight and still pray to God. it's all the same. just how each person likes to go about talking to God.

Answer 4

Actually I think offense was intended.

It is not necessary to always close your eyes and raise your hands when praying. Some people just like to do that. And that is ok too.

Answer 5

You can do anything while praying.
Of course, it depends.
If you are praying while climbing on a tree then how can you raise your hands?
If you are praying while you are swimming then how can you raise your hands?
You name it...
It depends though but what if you are in the Church, you have more concentration and focus when closing eyes.
Its not about place, way but about "heart."

In short, attitude and concentration is the thing that counts most in Christian prayer.

Answer 6

well, we don't hold up are hands, there are some but a small %
and closing the eyes thing... the Bible does not say we have to, but praying is to talk with God so if we are looking a stuff around us we can get distracted, its more something we do to help us focus on God. note that a lot of other religions you close your eyes, Islam you lay on a mat and do this hole thing of... well you prob have see it before on TV or something. catholics do that bead thing sometimes, where there i think praying for forgiveness and each bead signifies a type of sin, i think....i can't remember what it is called, but i'm sure you have heard of it too.

Answer 7

The only place I've seen that is in commercials on TV.for a set of Christian Recordings.. A faint remembrance of seeing something with a old fashion revival meeting doing that.
But maybe some denominations do that.

Answer 8

open the hands is a sign for giving themselves to God
closing the eyes is for focus
and its depend on the personalities not on the religion its not a must. as a christian u r free in the way u r worship God, but first at all it need to be from the heart not from the mouth.

Answer 9

No offense taken... but do let me set you straight on a few things...
We close our eyes to consentrate but it is not a requirement.
We raise our hand in praise but once again this is not a requirement
We say prayers many times during the day not just on the toliet... once again not a requirement. :)

Answer 10

If it really is a severe question, and for the duration of that I advise you truly pick to understand the justifications instead of basically bashing those with whom you disagree, get out a lexicon and seem up each of the cases of the Greek be conscious 'proskyneo' contained in the recent testomony (or maybe contained in the Greek version of the former testomony). it isn't unique of God. it would want to advise to worship contained in absolutely the experience, as one worships God, or it would want to advise worship in a lesser experience, directed in the direction of others of extreme esteem. Revelation 3:9 contains an celebration of the latter. because English ameliorations its meaning over the a lengthy time period, Bible translations are frequently as a lot as date to have more effective cutting-edge English used. because of this 'worship' become replaced to 'obeisance' in between the NWT revisions. It become continuously understood in that secondary experience of worship, yet over the a lengthy time period that secondary experience has eroded in oftentimes going on utilization of the be conscious. See bias there in case you pick, yet it really is a valid reason and it nicely represents what the Greek honestly says.