What Happened to Your Hands?

This blog is designed to give people an inner look at a devotional life. Taking time each day to spend time with the Lord. The hope is if you travel on this journey with Rev. Jacob Shaw, you may be more inclined to spend time with the Lord as well. I encourage the use of a devotional, a scripture reading and prayer, then finally some form of artistic mark to tie it all together. 

Today's devotional is taken from: Zacharias, Ravi. The Logic of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019. [E-Book] Chapter 15: What Happened to Your Hands?

Opening Thought: In real time to when I am writing these, Easter 2021 just passed, and I pulled from this text some inspiration for my sermons on Good Friday and Easter Sunday ( https://youtu.be/bQt2PMz6Vdk    https://youtu.be/OhoEBAkhy0M  click the links for the services) Zacharias speaks about a image found in a pastor’s office where a child is holding the hands of Jesus asking “what happened to your hands?” This question I really hope moves you, because to ask this question is to stand on the edge between all the darkness within humanity, and all of the glory and mercy of God. This is the question above all others!

The devotional begins with: John 20:26-28

 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 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.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Second Thought: Many people when on a faith journey will try to look for proof of what they find most meaningful. If they find meaning in the gospel story, they want historical proof, or scientific proof that it really happened. I personally believe that if you look; you will find that proof. But the most important proof anyone will ever have is what happens on the inside, with in their heart/spirit. Sometimes you need to sit with the story and see if its narrative reaches you in a way nothing else can. For today what I sit with, and what I hope you sit with, is the idea that in each of us lies the capacity to do to Christ hands which were done to him on that first Good Friday. We all have a darkness which longs to reject God, even if we do not want to admit it. Maybe one of the bravest things we can do is admit that, because it tells us that there is a part of us that is at war against God. I think when we avoid that thought it is our goodness trying to deny this reality to protect ourselves, good intentioned maybe, but the road to hell, well you know. However, the good news is that God has done the work. God has put in your heart a law which will point to Him, He has given His Son who calls to us, and together they will move to restore in us a heart that does not rebel and which does not drive nails.   

Continual Work: Sit with the question, what happened to Christ’s hands? Let it move you, let it change you for the better!   

What Rev. Jacob is Working On: Doing what I said ^^^!

Rev. Jacob’s Scripture time: John 20:26-28

 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 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.”

Yes, I repeated the scripture. I did it because there are so many ways people may feel they need proof to believe in Christ. As a minister, one of the main longings I have is to help people believe. Being a preacher’s kid, in many ways I have spent my entire life studying my faith and Christianity. I wish so much sometimes I could open my mind and soul up like a book or movie and allow others to experience the fuller and wider processes of my faith, in hopes that they too would see and believe. But I guess if they did do that, they would also see that at points in my life I doubted like Thomas. So if you feel you are doubting, don’t fret, the proof you need is within the Gospel itself, sit with its story and it will speak to you in ways that nothing else can.

Prayer for your day: Lord, help us take today slowly, to take time to reflect on Your glory, and enjoy the new life You offer to us, restored in Your mercy and grace. Amen.  

Artistic Close: As we pass Easter, I always like to think back to Christmas as the Christ child was born to us. Here is a wonderful image on Madonna and Child surrounded by the spring florals.

Maria met Christuskind (1796) by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. Original from The Rijksmuseum. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.