Devotions with Pastor Jerry Schmid

MY FATHERS HANDS

Psalm 104:28 28 What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
Psalm 145:16 “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

I began to reminisce growing up on the farm; always watching my father work with his hands on anything and everything, in all seasons of weather, hot, cold, rain, snow and heat. Even as an adult I was amazed at how large my fathers’ gloves were when I placed them on my hands for work, giving me enough room to almost place both hands into one glove.  I recalled the many scars and black and blue fingernails and cracked, chafed skin from his hard work or weather. 

Then my thoughts began to consider the comparisons between the hands of my earthly father to those of Christ; the one we cherish as Savior and Lord.

My fathers’ hands were powerful, driving posts, hammering steel, pulling chains, lifting heavy weights and bales of hay, but gentle to touch and convey love.  Christs were powerful also; power to heal the sick, touch blinded eyes to see, raise the dead to life and yet took children in His arms, held and loved them as precious lambs, tenderly broke bread to feed the multitudes, his disciples, and gently wash dirty feet as the servant of servants. 

My father could seldom have a meal without there being bread on the table, but Christ represents the true bread of life itself which God supplies out of love to us against the evil of the world.

My father could quickly draw intercut instructions and designs in the dirt, even though most of the time I had little idea what he was trying to convey, but Christ brought protection and salvation to suffering souls by simple etchings in the dust.

I think the greatest of all comparisons however comes with the thought of the splinters, the cuts, the gouges and punctures from barbed spikes and barbs on wire or metal which were often visible on my fathers’ hands, all requiring bandaging, not that it was ever available.  Yet for Christ, the carpenter’s son, who once held the wood and nails in His hands was then held by the wood and the heavy barbed spikes of the cross for you and me, the shedding of His blood freely with no bandaging; all for you and me without hesitation to pay the sacrifice of atonement for the forgiveness of our sins.   
    
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Now, he wants to use our hands to send the same message of love, humility, and acceptance.  The world needs your hands; hands to be a blessing every day. May God take your hands and use them for His glory!
Are your hands open?
 
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Jerry Schmid