Hand in Hand

Let me set the scene for you…my front yard between 9:30-10:00 a.m. most mornings you will find me playing trucks, digging in the sand or kicking ball with my grandson, Bryson.  In addition to the playtime, I take advantage of the time to tell him Who created; well, everything.  We look at bird feathers, acorns and pinecones and any other things that pop up.  An important detail of being outside is that he always reaches for my hand to lead and guide him.  He does not hesitate to take my hand when I offer it.  Today, God nudged my mind to realize how He also offers a hand – sadly, too often we do not grasp it in return.

The Father’s desire is that we take his hand in faith and dependence just as a toddler grabs ahold of his parent’s hand.  I wonder how many times He reached out to me that I didn’t recognize or acknowledge it.  The Bible tells us that we are to have faith as a child and that involves His hand holding mine.

I have in my mind the image of Christ on the cross with hands outstretched a pleading in His eyes for each and every one to take hold of that nail scarred hand.

We find in Psalm 89:13-15 the following, “Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth go before thy face.  Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.”   Oh, where else would you rather be than walking hand in hand with Jesus?

Raising our hand to take His is a simple response to a simple gesture that means more than Life!  It is life!  Take the hand that Jesus offers and walk with him day by day in the light of His countenance!

This quote by Minnie Louise Haskins from the poem, The Gate of the Year, is a good way to conclude today’s devotion.

Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.  That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”