One of my favorite ways to pray is known as the “hands down, hands up” prayer. It’s a simple way to pray that incorporates our body, mind, and spirit in order to invite humility, surrender, and receptivity to God’s good gifts.

This prayer posture is exactly what it sounds like. We literally pray with our hands up and our hands down. Two motions with our hands that reflect the movement of our heart and Spirit in the presence of God. Our mind, body, and Spirit are all aligned before the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We begin this prayer with our palms down. You can rest them in your lap, place them on the floor, or simply hold them facing the ground in the air. This motion represents our desire to place something before God. While in this position, we use this space and time to lie down, literally and in our mind and Spirit, anything that we need to turn over to God. This might be an unhealthy desire, envy or jealousy, a dream or desire, a relationship, a fear, a hope, a literal possession, or anything else we desire to entrust to God. Something that we can’t or shouldn’t hold onto anymore. Sometimes we even lay down good things that we just can’t hold right now.

The reason I like doing the hands down part of the prayer first is because it reminds me of the fact that it’s difficult to receive something from God if I am already holding onto something else. We hold onto all kinds of stuff that isn’t good for us, so we lay it down to make space for God’s good gifts and blessing.

Then we turn our hands up to receive from God. After all, Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that the Father already knows what we need before we ask. God desires to give it to us. 

With our hands facing up and open, we pray for God’s will to be done and for God to give us our daily bread. Our hands are open, literally mirroring our desire to receive from God. You might spend some extra time in silence here, not telling God what you need but simply being open to what God has to give.

Ultimately, this prayer invites us to submit to God in humility and trust, while at the same time preparing us to receive God’s direction, gift, and blessing. When you leave this prayer time, don’t pick back up the stuff that you put down. It’s going to call your name, beckoning you back. But God has it now and has something much better prepared for your open hands.

Grace and Peace as you enter the presence of the God who loves you.

To hear more about this prayer and join a guided practice, check out our podcast episode at the links below.

On Ruah Space

On Apple/iTunes Podcasts