THE HANDS OF CHRIST
Devotion for 17 May 2018 Anno Domini
(taken from Pearls, Points, and Parables, by F.E. Marsh 1908
“Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 (KJV)
“I do love this beautiful, white, and perfect hand; but I dislike the other, ugly one,” said a little girl as she took hold of the left hand of her mother, and pushed the right one, which was marred, crooked, and scarred and twisted.
A look of pain was seen in the mother’s face for a moment, then she said, “Shall I tell my little girl a story?”
“Yes, mamma, please.”
“One night when you were a baby I smelt fire, and as I hurried to where you were lying in your cot, I found your clothes alight. I tore them from you with my hand, but that hand was burnt as a result. The marred hand is an evidence of what I suffered for you.”
When the child had heard the story, she exclaimed, “Oh, forgive me, mamma, for calling the scarred hand ugly, I now think it is the more beautiful of the two.”
The hands of Christ are beautiful because they bear the marks of the nails of Calvary’s tree. The hands of Christ are studded with the jewels of blessing, and they are so, because they were once nailed to the cross (Ps. 22:16).
They were once gory with the blood of suffering, but they are now glorious with the blessings of salvation. He shows His hands to us (John 20:20), let us view them and see what they can do.
The hands of Christ are symbolical of His power; hence, in speaking of the power of the Lord with John
the Baptist, it says, ‘The hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66).
THEY ARE:
- STRONG TO SAVE.—Peter found the hand of Christ strong to save, in response to his “Lord, save me“
(Matt.14:30, 31). He can pluck out of hell’s mouth, sin’s power, Satan’s grip, iniquity’s pit, the flesh’s
influence, self’s pursuit, and the world’s glamour.
- Potent to Heal.—The touch of Christ’s hand meant cleansing to the leper (Matt. 8:3). Christ can heal, by His touch of power, palsy’s sloth, pride’s fever, temper’s fits, the heart’s impurity, the mind’s blindness, the knees’ feebleness, and the ears’ dullness.
- Skilled to Open.—Christ’s hands upon the eyes of the blind man meant sight to hirn (Mark 8:23).
Christ alone can give the inner illumination which shall cause us to see the sinfulness f sin, the
Sufficiency of Christ’s Atonement, the secrets of God’s Word, and the splendor of His Person.
- Sufficient to Supply.—”Thou openest Thy hand, they are filled with good” (Ps. 104:28). The statement is true, providentially, spiritually, and eternally. The good God saves by His good grace, to a good life, and for a good end. There is always more left after we have done taking—as is llustrated in the feeding of the five thousand—than there was before. Taking from God, enriches Him.
- Tender to Bless.—”Put His bands upon them” (Mark 10:16) are the words which describe Christ’s action in relation to the children. Christ has the touch of the sympathetic friend, the loving mother, the kind father, the gracious brother, the thoughtful sister, the good Samaritan, and the gentle Jesus.
- Strong to Uplift.—”He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight” (Luke 13:13).
The poor woman was bowed earthwards, and could not lift herself up—like many a believer in
Christ, who has life from Christ, but who has not liberty through Him.
- Mighty to Keep (John 10:28).—None can snatch from the hand of Christ, because His hand is encircled by the hand of the Father.
The ability and agility of Christ proclaim His power and willingness to bless. He meets the need of the times, and is always timely in His aid.
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:15-16 (KJV)
“Prenez en Gré”
In Christ Alone
in Pre- Trinity SEASON
,
† Jerry L. Ogles , D.D.
Presiding Bishop
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide & Chancellor, Faith Theological Seminary
“Metus improbo compescit, non clementia.” – Syrus, MAXIMS: Fear, not kindness, restrains the wicked!
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer – HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“If there were any word of God beside the Scripture, we could never be certain of God’s Word; and if we be uncertain of God’s Word, the devil might bring in among us a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea himself to be a god. If the Church and the Christian faith did not stay itself upon the Word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation, no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he were in the true Church of Christ, or a synagogue of Satan.”