As she would read my favorite story yet again on her comfy couch, I would find my eyes drifting towards her hands. My Grandma Jones’ hands had seen much life. Diligently she devoted her life to keeping her home and caring for her family. Her hands, wrinkled and worn, cleaned dishes, dusted, and vacuumed for a living. Her hands were an extension of the giant pressure-cooker bear hugs that she would greet me with upon every visit. I loved her hands because I loved her.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
His hands would be blackened sometimes when returning from work at the tire company. My dad’s hands were warm, but sometimes rough with hangnails. As a little girl I was mesmerized by the blue S that was on my dad’s inner thumb. “Why do you have an S on your hand, Daddy?” And he would tell me the familiar story again about how he loved my mom so much that he gave himself an S tattoo for Sue, her name. My dad’s hands are now even older than my Grandma Jones’ hands in my memories and they now lovingly hold grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Psalm 89:13
Watching my mom paint her beautiful fingernails, grasping my husband’s hand, examining my newborns’ perfect little hands, I am amazed at how much I love the hands of people whom I love. If you would have asked me two weeks ago what physical features I loved most about the people in my life, I’m not sure I would have said their hands. But, as our world is turned upside-down because of a microscopic virus that is out of our control, hands are important. I’m not talking about washing them, either (although, yes, please do that, a lot).
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley..Ezekiel 37:1
I’m encouraging us to look for our Heavenly Father’s hand. No human could have stopped the world like this. Our busyness ceased. Our schedules cleared. Our familiarity vanished. God is doing something and it’s enormous. Has He gotten your attention? Have you quieted yourself to hear? Open your eyes and be searching for His hand in all of this. His hand is secure as He holds His children and never lets anything snatch us out. His hand is mighty to save, delivering us from pestilence. I love God’s hand because I love Him.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you… 1 Peter 5:6
God’s hand is at work. Look for Him! As I snuggled up closely to my grandma on her couch, let’s become like little children drawing near to our Father, humble and eagerly awaiting. What are You doing, Abba?
Perhaps it’s a revival!
I am afflicted very much; revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. Psalm 119:107
Love, Wendy
