Hands.....

Hand,,,,,,,

My hands are two different sizes right now.I call them my big hand and my little hand...they have just gotten that way this last year. The big one is swollen from inflammation in the thumb joint, but the inflammation extends Into the palm of my hand, wrist and partway down my arm.  Am not saying this to garner sympathy, but it has made me think about how much I rely on my hands and all that  they do....

We use them for everything....to pick up, deliver, scratch, open, close, to wash, dry, to write,to......... , to bless, to hold, to punish, heal, tear down, build, .......(words can do some of the same things emotionally)...so much.....eliminate one and the other is hard pressed to do the work of both or clumsy ......

It has been a good lesson on how the body, both human and the church work together better when all parts are functioning well.  Every part has a purpose, a job, a gift.....there is no clumsiness, dysfunction ....there is helpfulness, healing...blessing..

But looking at other references to "hand" in the Bible, there is usefulness, as well....so much plus, we are written in the palm of God's hand, closeness, held tightly...what a picture....not let go....

Or the scars, the nail driven through the hand ....for us...for the world, mankind, the torture of that pain through the hand, tender, ......at holding up the sin of all mankind, yet holding us up...those hands are blessed, scarred, but resurrected...

Lots of lessons in hands....

Thank You for your hands that create, hold,  cleanse, heal....


1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Unity and Diversity in the Body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Psalm 31:5
Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Psalm 63:4
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

Isaiah 49:16
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Mark 9:31
because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

Mark 9:43
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimedthan with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

Mark 10:13
[ The Little Children and Jesus ] People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.

Mark 10:16
And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Mark 14:58
“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’”

Mark 16:18
they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Luke 4:11
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Luke 4:40
At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

Luke 6:1
[ Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath ] One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.

Luke 9:44
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

Luke 10:36
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

Luke 13:13
Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Luke 18:15
[ The Little Children and Jesus ] People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them
Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 24:7
‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Luke 24:39
Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Luke 24:40
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

Luke 24:50
[ The Ascension of Jesus ] When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

John 3:35
The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.


John 20:20
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

John 20:25
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

John 20:27
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Scar
1.
a mark left by a healed wound, sore, or burn.
2.
a lasting aftereffect of trouble, especially a lasting psychological injury resulting from suffering or trauma.
3.
any blemish remaining as a trace of or resulting from injury or use.


Righteous Hand
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:13
For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.