This beautiful little hand belongs to my great-granddaughter, Hazel-Jane, when she was four years old. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have an affection for hands! Especially praying hands, drawings and pictures of elderly hands and baby hands. I have a collection of ceramic hands and knick-knacks; things representing the amazing gift of touch and feel with which most are born.
WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND?
When God chose Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, Moses offered every excuse he could think of to keep from doing what God wanted him to do. But God insisted that Moses could do it because He would be with Moses.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied. (Exodus 4:2-17).
Moses’ staff was used to perform wonderful things for God.
What do I have in MY hand? Every one of us has at least one thing that we can do extremely well.
- What do you really enjoy doing?
- What do others think you do well?
- What opportunities do you have?
- If you don’t know how, are you willing to learn?
Are we very much different from Moses? Do we still use all kinds of excuses to keep from doing what God wants us to do?
“I don’t know how.” “I don’t have time.” “Someone else can do it better.”
But listen to God’s Word:
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9, 10).
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23, 24).
“This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” (Titus 3:8).
We are the hands of Jesus reaching out to the world.
“…the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:26-27).
Christ in us… God has given us that ability to reach out in his name to the world on his behalf.
When Coventry Cathedral (England) was bombed in the second world war. There was a stature of Jesus with his arms stretched out, as if reaching out to the world. During the bombing, those arms were damaged so that they had been broken off. When they came to fix the stature. The Minister said, ”No, please leave it a bit longer as a visual aid, for us to see that Jesus wants to use our arms to reach the lost, to feed the poor, to help the needy, and to reach out in his name.“
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Did you see what was tucked in the middle of that verse? “As though God were making his appeal through us.”
In other words, God is reaching out to the world through US.
I have occasionally drawn hands for special occasions. My most recent drawing is a hand depicting the hand of Jesus, crucified for me.
Are you working for the Lord? I’m not referring to working for your salvation, because salvation is a gift from God to you.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:9-10).
Because of that, we should want to do something for the Lord, not working for salvation but working from salvation. A faith that works will produce works. A faith that doesn’t work won’t.
So, let’s be confident in our abilities and gifts, and use whatever is in our hands for reaching out to the world with the beautiful message of Jesus! But remember and understand… using our hands for Christ does NOT make us righteous! Only Christ Jesus himself can make us righteous! Praise His name!
Blessings,
Sandra
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.