For a spiritual being, God’s hands are mentioned frequently in scripture. It’s a fascinating concept. Yahweh, a spirit, makes himself known to us with something as familiar as hands.
Think of all the many tasks we do with our hands throughout the day without even thinking of it: writing, typing, carrying, eating, cooking, holding, gesturing, gripping and more. Of course, the Lord’s hands have some tasks as well. Here is a short (not exhaustive) list:
God holds our hand
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand. Psalm 37:24
How close must a person be to grasp your hand? Think of their nearness, their warmth and the gentleness and strength of clasping another’s hand. That’s how close the Lord of heaven is to us.
God guides us with his hand
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:9-10
Geographically, it doesn’t matter where in the world I may go: God’s hand can still lead me.
God’s hand keeps us safe
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28
God is not the only force at work in this world. The devil is actively trying to snatch souls, but no one can take us from God’s hand. Conversely, no one take God from us.
As a spiritual being, God can hold much more than our fragile human hands. Yes, we can hold things of great worth: money perhaps, sweet innocent babies, or even the words of God. But God can hold invisible, intangible things:
God can hold our spirit
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. Psalm 31:5
There is an eternal, ethereal part of me that no one else can touch, yet God himself can hold it. He alone sees the deepest, truest, rawest parts of me with love.
God holds my life and my days
My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Psalm 31:15
God, the creator of the universe, the shepherd of his people, holds the entirety of our meager human existence. He knows every minute, every hour of our lives and what we will face.
He holds all my life. And what’s more, his hands are sure, steady, and loving. He will hold me all throughout my life until I go to reach that eternal home with him.
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