Canvas 19
HIS
HANDS
“And he laid his
hands on them, and departed thence.” (Matthew
19:15)
This verse is the
central verse of the involved and complex chapter of Matthew 19:1-30.
At the very centre of
debates about the rights and wrongs of divorce and a sobering question as to who
can be saved and enter the kingdom of God, the focus falls on the hands of Jesus
and the heads of little Judean children. Again we have the strategy of the
Saviour in this wonderful and delightful incident.
His
Hands
These hands were
those of the creator who fashioned not only the beautiful world as we know it
but also the unlimited universe, which men seek to probe and understand using
canisters filled with metal, plastic and electronic gadgetry and then hurling
them into space. Political pride and the huge pay packets of scientist involved
will ensure the whole unsatisfactory and wasteful space programme will continue.
His
Hands In The Cradle
These hands once
clutched at swaddling baby clothes as he lay in a manger in the Bethlehem, and
were held by Mary and Joseph. These tiny hands, as it were, conducted a great
heavenly host who were praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace, goodwill toward
men!”
Redemption and
salvation is centred directly on the world, not the unknown universe so loved by
some unbelievers. It is about living breathing men living on earth. Not about
ghostly aliens sneaking about the galaxies! (Luke 2:14)
His
Hands On The Cross
These hands were
destined the feel the roughness of the wooden cross at Calvary and the hardness
of the nails which pierced his body and fastened the sacrifice to the altar of
the transom cross, stretched out in
blessing and open invitation to all men. “For God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
His
Hands On The Children
The strong yet
sensitive hands of the Saviour were laid on the heads of the children; we do not
know who they were, or their names, or indeed what became of them in later life.
We do know the Lord of heaven loved them and blessed them and through them
taught lessons concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. I guess the disciples at that
time, who tried to hold them back, from coming to the Lord Jesus, as indeed the
followers of this present day would and will, remember the truth of the
importance of children to the Lord.
Hands
In Scripture
There are 438 verses
of scripture with reference to ‘hands’.
Gospels: 13 verses in
Matthew; 16 verses in Mark; 13 verses in Luke and 10 and in John.
Before the Cross of
Calvary we read ‘Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his
hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God’ (John 13:3)
After the Cross of
Calvary we read ‘And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw
the Lord.
Hands
For His Service
‘What is that in
your hand, Abel?
‘Only a little
lamb, Lord, taken from the flock. I purpose offering it to Thee, a
willing sacrifice’.
And so he did. The sweet smell of that burning has been filling the air ever
since, constantly ascending to the Lord as a perpetual sacrifice of praise.
‘What is that in
your hand, Moses?
‘Only a staff of
wood, Lord with which I tend my flock.’ ‘Take it and use it for Me.’
And so he did; and
with it wrought many wonderful signs and wonders in Egypt. The King and the
people had never seen such an awesome manifestation of divine power before.
‘What is that in
your hand Mary?
‘Only a jar of perfumed ointment, Lord, but with it I will anoint the feet of the Lord Jesus
And so she did; the
perfume filled that place at that time. It has also filled the meeting place of
all Bible-reading believers across the world. The fragrance and the memory of
that act of love and service have been spoken of from that day, to this day.
‘Poor woman, what
is that in your hand?
‘It is very little,
only two mites; but it is all I have, but I will put it in your treasury’.
She did so and that
act of love and generosity has prompted many to give to the work of the Lord
over the years, it still prompts many to do so today.
‘What is that in
your Hand, Dorcas?
‘Only a needle,
Lord’.
‘Take it and use it for Me’.
So she did, and
helped clothe the poor people of Joppa with warm clothes. Thousands of woman in
the church have done same for missionary across the world, inspired by that
first act of love by Dorcas.
Exodus 4:2 And the
LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
Mark 12:42 And
there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a
farthing.
John 12:3 Then took
Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of
Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour
of the ointment.
Acts 9:39 Then Peter
arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper
chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and
garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Hands
On For The Saviour
Page created 4 September 2006