your hands

Romans 12:3-8 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
 
Take a moment to really examine your hands. Did you ever think about what a precious gift your hands are? Did you ever consider all the ways you can use your hands to touch others with God’s love?
 
Hands can hold or gently squeeze someone else’s hands, pat a crying baby, wipe away a tear, place bandage on a scraped knee, help to give a hug, point the right direction for someone, give a high five.
 
Hands can write a letter or type an e-email, paint a picture, create a gift for someone, pick flowers to give, play an instrument for others to hear, help make cakes and cookies to share, knock on a friend’s door, and dial a phone number to say we “we care.”
 
Hands can turn on a light, open a window, put things in place, pick something up, wipe an area clean, plant a seed, and feed the birds.
 
Hands can open Bibles, be folded in prayer, give an offering, be placed on someone who is being baptized, give and receive the bread and cup for Communion, and reach out to welcome another. Hands are one of God’s many loving gifts to us. We show God our thanks by using our hands as loving gifts to
others.
 
During the rest of the week, ask God each day to show you a special way you can use your hands to reach out to someone and share God’s love. Then commit to doing these things.
 
Lord, I give my hands to you.
Hold them, guide them, let them be hands that move to show I care,
Hands that move to spread your love.
Lord, take my hands.
And use them as you will.
 
Taken from “At Home with God Family Devotions for the School Year”
Stephanie Dunn
Christian Education Coordinator