Empty Hands

I walked into my dorm room and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Thirteen brown Home Depot boxes filled to the brim with picture collages, winter coats, shoes, textbooks, and my book collection, were now safely locked up in my storage unit. A huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders (no pun intended), as I locked the unit and jumped into my car. I drove away and sensed that aching feeling one gets on their forearm after he or she has carried a few too many grocery bags on their arm to save precious time. I was feeling the effects, and knew that I would crash later in the evening. I turned on the radio and the song “Wholly Yours” was cheerfully playing on K-Love. My spirits rose as I sang my heart out driving down the country roads of North Carolina. It brings joy to us as believers when we hear the words “Holy is our God” and we are “Wholly His”. I listened intently as a lyric was sung that I had never noticed in the past.

  “And the truest sign of grace was this… From wounded hands redemption fell down liberating man.”

Our Savior was wounded, wasn’t He? Jesus Christ was wounded. We wounded our Savior. Our sins caused and cause Him pain. It cost Him physical pain. Soldiers are wounded. Professional Athletes may even be wounded. Our Savior cannot be wounded, can He? And finally, why His hands? Why do we recognize, remember, reminisce, and recall his hands when we contemplate the crucifixion?

Suddenly the nagging pain in my hands from moving became miniscule. My bodily aching was relieved.

Jesus was wounded for me. His hands were pierced for me. His perfect and beautiful hands were torn for us.

Have you ever thought about the incredible gift our hands are? Our hands allow us to move the brown boxes where we keep our belongings. Our hands allow us to write exam papers and type on keyboards. Our hands allow us to drive our cars and wave hello. Our hands allow us to pick someone up if they have fallen down. And, our hands allow us to hold newborn babies, console our loved ones, and give to those in need.

“She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy”- Proverbs 31:20

My father was born with only three fingers and one leg. He takes every second to use his hands for good; Whether that is energizing audiences to see the joy in life, or to motivate them to look UP. He realized the importance of his hands from an early age as chopsticks and piano playing would never be is forte. He decided to use his hands to write books, and hold a microphone so many could hear GOOD NEWS.

What will we use our hands for? What did Jesus use his hands for? Something I find very interesting about Jesus, is you do not hear of Him “carrying heavy loads”, or “having His hands full”. Instead, the Jesus revealed in the scriptures is a Healing Jesus. Jesus’ hands broke bread and fed multitudes. Jesus’ hands healed a man born blind. Jesus’ hands washed the disciples feet. Jesus’ hands raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus' hands were full-but never physically. Jesus kept His hands open, and empty. Jesus kept himself free of the material and was concerned with the eternal.

Maybe, empty hands are the blessed hands. Empty hands that are not only willing to serve but ready to serve will be utilized.

“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”- Isaiah 64:8

We haul our life around in pretty brown boxes. We forget how our hands could be used. Jesus must be our example. Jesus did not let himself stay “weighed down” and never kept his hands” full. Instead, He gave much. We love to think that full hands have something tangible to give. Isn’t it true though, that empty hands are the ones used for the caring hug and wiping away tears. We literally cannot be of service if we keep our hands full.

  Jesus’ hands were wounded… Jesus Christ’s hands were perfect, and from them came the fullness of life. Blood poured from the hands of the One who formed us in our mother’s womb. Blood poured from the hands that shaped our being. Blood poured from the hands that raised the dead and healed the sick.

Why are we not using our hands for the building up of His people. We must abstain from sin and use our literal hands to bring the Good News to his children. The resurrection of Jesus is living proof of His masterful, yet still scarred hands. The wounds are there and will always be there. Yet, He still gave. He gave us the Great Commission with wounded hands to bring peace and His teachings to nations. We cannot let a physical limitation, or an emotional setback keep us from utilizing the bodies with which we were blessed.

  “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”- John 10:28

Amen.