Hands

I received an email a week ago about hands. It's funny how something can burrow into your thoughts and keep working it's way to the surface for days. That's how I've been since reading the email about hands. The message was about an elderly woman looking and reflecting on the uses of her hands. I immediately started thinking about all the Bible passages that have to do with hands. I did a quick search on my computer and found over 500 references to hands and over 800 references to hand. As I was studying I started thinking about all the uses and purposes for our hands. Here are some that I came up with. I challenge you to search out others. The first one I thought of was blessing, in Deut 24:19 so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (NIV) So we receive and give blessings with our hands, but we also work with our hands, in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deut 16:15 (NIV) Next, I thought about the Proverbs 31 woman and all she did with her hands, she plants, sews, cooks, extends her hands to the poor. We also praise with our hands Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD. Ps 134:22 (NIV) Our hands clap in joy Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! Ps 47:1 (RSV) We fold our hands in reverence and prayer I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. Ex 9:29 (NIV) Our hands can tend and heal the sick "In my name, they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:17a, 18c (NIV) Rest your hands A little sleep, a little slumber,a little folding of the hands to rest. Prov 24:33 (NIV) In 2 Kings 4:16 we find that we embrace with our hands "About this time next year you shall embrace a son." (NKJV) Our hands are vital to our existence, but more importantly His hands are our existence. We can hold on to the truth that He holds us in His hand because He told us as much in John 10:27-30 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (NIV) We are safe and secure He loves you so much He has you engraved (tattooed if you will) in the palm of His hand. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; Isa 49:16 (NIV) I wanted to make certain that is what the text meant so I looked up the root word in the Strong's Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary chaqaq (khaw-kak'); a primitive root; properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribe: -appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, portray, print, set. So rest assured, you are safe in our Father's Hands.