Look At Your Hands
Look at your hands. Do they tell a story? As I look down at my hands, I see wrinkles that reflect my age. A worn ring on my finger has a story to tell about my 45 years of marriage. Then, I see scars and recall various lacerations from the past. The dirt under my nails gives away my outdoor activity. There are callouses, grease stains, and protruding veins each adding a statement of who I am. However, even with all these tell-tale signs, it is still hard to determine the task that is assigned to these hands daily.
What Story Do They Tell?
What stories do your hands tell? Could we tell if your hands use a keyboard, give shots, grip a steering wheel, or play sports? Not for certain. Working hands can be anything from turning wrenches to rolling out dough. Whatever it might be, those of us blessed with functional hands, use them to make a living. But if we look beyond vocation, these same hands can be used to give and to receive. They can be used to hurt as well as to love. Hands can be used to wave, express joy, to heal, hit, or can be used to eat with. So many things we can use our hands for every day.
What Would Jesus Do?
Yet of all these things we use our hands for, do we consciously lift a finger to use them for God’s glory? What would Jesus do? Well, we know that He laid his healing hands on feverish heads (Matthew 8:15) and on twisted crippled hurting legs (John 5:8). He mixed mud with his thoughtful hands so the blind could see (John 9:11). Peter was lifted from the raging sea with the protecting hands of Jesus (Matthew 14:31). Jesus selflessly handed a small girl back to her parents whom He raised back to life (Matthew 9:25). He compassionately touches the bread that fed the 5000 (John 6:11). Showing His mercy, He knew when to draw a line in the sand (John 8:6). If that wasn’t enough, He humbled Himself by dropping to his knees and used His hands to wash the disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
Use Your Hands For God’s Kingdom
Great stories about the loving hands of Jesus. Of all these things that Jesus did with His hands, it still doesn’t tell the whole story. It was these same hands that gripped the cross as He carried it up the hill to Golgotha. His hands were then nailed to the tree where Jesus called out with a loud voice… “Father into YOUR hands I commit my spirit.” Then breathed His last (Luke 23:46). From those scarred hands we now receive forgiveness and the eternal promise of salvation. With this great news we should raise our hands in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
Dear Lord, as I lift my hands up to You, thank You for the story of the scars that remain on Jesus’ hands. Help me in turn, make it my story to use my own hands to serve you, to help those in need, and to help tell that eternal story to those who do not know You.
Amen.
Matthew 8:15
John 5:8
John 9:11
Matthew 14:31
Matthew 9:25
John 6:11
John 8:6
John 13:5
Luke 23:46
— Phil
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Today’s Scripture
Matthew 8:15
Jesus Heals Many
14 And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.
John 5:8
The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.
John 9:11
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.”
Matthew 14:31
Jesus Walks on the Water
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Matthew 9:25
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
John 6:11
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
John 8:6
Jesus draws a line in the sand
4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.
John 13:5
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Luke 23:46
The Death of Jesus
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.