PRAYER FOR MY HANDS

Father, You’re such a “personal” God and Father.   One of the first characteristics that comes to my mind about your physical appearance when You were here on this earth is your HANDS.  Your HANDS were pierced for me, my individual sins and rebellion, anger and indifference.  My heart had a coldness and deadness before You reached out to me.

The love You have for me is so inexpressible, yet You found expression through Your HANDS…HANDS nailed to a cross for me so I could be “brought back” and “bought back” to You.

In heaven You tell me that all tears and scars that caused those tears, will be wiped away.  Yet there will always be a beautiful scar that will never cease to exist.  And that’s the scar in YOUR HANDS for me individually.

Your HANDS are so beautifully accepting – accepting me always, just as I am, even though I’m in process of your changing my behavior, character, attitudes and thoughts, I need never fear rejection.

Father, in this same way, fashion my HANDS to be accepting to people, all kinds of people.  Their behavior, like mine, may be repulsive, rude and unloving sometimes, but Lord, Your agape acceptance speaks volumes.  Express Your acceptance through my HANDS. 

By this I mean through how I welcome, reach out, make meals, serve, pour refreshments, hold, hug and shake hands with others.  May others sense the acceptance and tenderness and warmth of Your love of them through the instruments of my hands.

Your HANDS are constantly outstretched, ready to lift up so many areas of my life.  Things like hurts, pain and disappointments.  Lord, help me to lift “out my hands” ready to embrace others and lift up to You their broken dreams, hurts, pain and disappointments to you on their behalf.

My hands are your “human instruments” to work with others, for others and around others.  I want my efforts to be pleasing to you regardless of what I’m doing – whether it’s diapering an infant, baking, taking in another’s trash cans, washing, crafting, sewing, creating, or just pouring a glass of cold water for another.

YOU NOTICE, USE AND BLESS EVERY TINY LITTLE THING I DO …. AS UNTO YOU FOR OTHERS!

As I “lotion” my hands to make them soft, please use my hands to give those soft touches and meaningful squeezes to those who need to be noticed and touched in gentle ways.    Use my human hands to be an expression of your heart – wiping away tears or applying a gentle touch of needed tenderness and awareness of their presence.

I don’t want to just touch another…. but to feel the fears and anxiety and discomfort of those You send my way.  Help me to hold the hand of others and walk “with them” through their disappointments, pain, anxieties, fears and losses.  May others feel Your expression of touch to their lives through even simple little casseroles or desserts, notes, letters or gifts I present to them with my hands.

May I realize that when others touch my life, it’s You touching my life through them.

You reside within me by Your Holy Spirit!  That’s thrilling that Your desire is to touch others through my simple, and even broken life.   You long to “get out of me…to ooze out of me” into the lives of others.

Impress upon my hands how You wish to use them, regardless of how young or old they are.  Cause me to realize more vividly that every time I use my hands toward another in any way, that is You, the Almighty Creator touching them.

Father, when others need affirmation and encouragement, my hands are available to clap and cheer to affirm their efforts and work. I want to be more responsive in this area so I can “pat others on the back,” to strengthen and affirm them.

When a little one is given to me to hold in my hands, remind me to pray for them and lift them to You.

Lord, as I lift my hands to praise You, help me do so with “holy hands” ….my sin confessed, wrong attitudes dealt with and forgiveness extended.

Your “pierced hands” on the cross were a gift to me, to bring me spiritual life, a newness to my life.

Your hands fashioned me in my mother’s womb.  You knew me before I had form or parts.  Your hands wove me together to be just as You wished, to express Your grace in not only my life, but to affect the life of others.

Lord, all that I have belongs to you.   Remind me not to hold tightly with my hands those possessions I’m only a steward of.  I may be in possession of many things, but You own them and have every right to do with them as You please.

Father, You are sovereign and in full control of my life.  Thank you for my hands and the life-flowing love You wish to express through them.  As I think about it, even if I was born without hands or they were injured beyond repair, You can use many parts of my body to embrace others in ways beyond a physical touch.

One day I will be embraced by Your arms of love, into Your presence.  Oh, what joy that will be to not only be held by You, but to hold You, the God of grace and love.