In His Hands

Working in my flower garden, I wanted to make room for a beautiful birdbath I purchased. A large, well-established Hosta was smack dab in the perfect place for the birdbath. Well, I made up my mind right then and there that the “in my way” Hosta would be relocated a little farther along the pathway; that’s all there was to it.

Over the previous few days, I wore gloves to do my various gardening tasks. On this day, with great energy and determination, I began the challenge of relocating the deeply rooted plant without donning my hand gear.

I grabbed my shovel and went to work. It wasn’t long before the realization of my very unwise decision not to wear protective gloves hit me. It hit me hard, “there!” If you hold your hand up in front of you, palm side up and take the pointer finger of your other hand and poke it into the deepest part of the palm you’re holding up, that’s the “there” I’m talking about. “There” was a big blister. The pressure of the shovel’s handle and the forcefulness of my efforts to dig up the stubborn, enormous Hosta had made a very painful open wound in the deepest and most tender part of my hand. I didn’t realize it was that sensitive “there” until this happened. And I definitely didn’t know how involved the palm of the hand is in everyday actions. But I know now! The next time you hold a utensil, put your hand on a steering wheel, place your hand on the piano keys, or pick up a bar of soap to lather your hands to wash your face, think about it.

It’s also hard for an open wound to heal there because it’s always coming in contact with objects, causing pressure. The healing process is slowed and set back with every touch, every gripping action. But our Creator has made us fearfully and wonderfully well, so, despite injury, wounds heal themselves, and we are restored over time.

Now, as I look at the palm of my hand, there remains a bit of redness where I had the blister. All pain is gone, and I have regained full use of my hand. Eventually, I imagine even the redness will disappear, and it will be as if it hadn’t even happened. I will remember, but as much as I might try to see the wound when I’m telling the story to a friend (it’s so much more interesting and receives oohs and ahhs when there’s a scar to be seen), it won’t be there.

As it is with so many things that happen to us, lessons are learned, knowledge is gained, and our experiences become ways Jesus shows us something that we have not seen before or have not thought about in a particular way. This life experience caused me to think about Him—Jesus, our Savior, our friend.

Isaiah 49:16 states, “Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” In this passage, “graven” means to be cut or marked with a chisel or graver imprinted deeply impressed.

Our names are engraved on His hands.

When we think about being in the hand of Jesus, we’re really and truly in His hand—forever engraved. The terrible nails that pierced His hands and feet when He died to save us were removed; now it’s the prints, the scars of the nails, that remind us of His ultimate sacrifice. But you and I, we’re forever in His hand. John 10:28 declares, “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Throughout eternity when we look at Jesus’ hands, we will see the nail prints; and forever be reminded of the great price He paid to redeem us. And when Jesus looks at His hands, He’ll see us and be reminded of why He did it.