OUR LORD WHO HOLDS OUR HANDS

There are few things as tender as the sight of fathers holding the hands of their little children walking down the street.

The little ones are guided through traffic and pathway hazards by someone who can see the terrain from a higher vantage point than they can and someone who has navigated the paths many times before.

Isaiah 41 verse 13 reveals our Father in heaven as one who holds our hands when we are in need. It says this:

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Sometimes we find ourselves in desperate circumstances and Mark 5 verse 41 graphically illustrates such a time saying this:

Taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

Here, the predicament being faced was death and our Lord took the young girl by the hand and raised her from the dead.

Another desperate situation that needed the hand of God is recorded in Mathew 14 verse 28 - 31 when Peter was attempting to walk on water and began to sink and cried out to be saved. The passage goes like this;

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Peter, in a time of fear, is grasped by the hand of God and lifted out of the water.

The astonishing effects of being held by the hand by our Lord are conferred to those who believe in Him so that they too can reach their hands out to other people and grab them by the hand to help them.

An example of this is reported in the book of Acts  chapter 3 where Peter was entering the temple area and came across a lame beggar who asked for some money. The text reads this way;

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. 

Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Here, Peter, who had himself been grabbed by the hand of Jesus to save him from his predicament in the water, was now able to take someone else's hand  and lift them up.

This is the expectation of those who serve in the kingdom of God. We, having been lifted by our God, lift others up by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Praise His holy name.

Amen.

Reference Resource: bible.knowing-jesus.com