Jesus’s Hands

I often let my mind wander, as I do various mundane chores in my house or garden.

Thoughts and blog ideas come to me as I do dishes, fold laundry, and weed.  While doing these jobs, my mind is quiet enough to hear what the Lord wants to teach me. 

Sometimes it's about things I’m personally dealing with. Other times, it's someone I should pray for.

This time, while doing dishes, I listened to a song about Jesus, and my thoughts turned to his hands.

It began with Jesus’s birth. I thought of when my children were born, how I loved to touch their sweet little hands that naturally curled around my finger.

I wonder, when Mary gave birth to Jesus, what were her thoughts as she looked at his hands? After all, he was the son of God.

Maybe she just looked at them as a mom, and held those little fingers.

She probably had no idea what those sweet hands would accomplish.

Jesus’s father Joseph was a carpenter. I wonder if he looked at Jesus’s hands

thinking about how strong they looked, and how he would help him in his carpentry. As Jesus grew, I’m sure he learned many skills at his fathers side.

When he worked with nails, did he have any idea of how nails would play a part in his death?

Jesus also studied the Bible as he grew and learned from teachers that read and taught the scriptures. I wonder, “Did those very hands touch the scrolls as he studied?”

As an adult, Jesus traveled with his disciples. Those hands that were used to build things as a child carpenter, now were used to build his church.

On many occasions, Jesus stretched out his hands to heal people.

In Matthew 8:3, Jesus touched the man with leprosy, and healed him.

This was a big taboo, since you were not to touch or be near a person with leprosy. Jesus’s compassion overcame that boundary, as he reached out to the man. 

Although his hands were gentle as he drew children and adults to him, they were also strong.

When Jesus saw the money changers in the temple, he said they were turning his Father's house into a den of thieves. And those strong hands overturned their tables. 

Finally those strong, yet gentle loving hands, he willingly allowed to be pierced.

Those nails he held as a child now held him to the cross.

The ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins.

The greatest example of love and strength.

I think about how I use my hands. Of course the work we do with our hands starts first in our heart. Jesus knew his purpose.

May I use the works of my hands to glorify Him, and I pray blessings over you and yours!