Using Your Hands to Serve

Last Saturday at the baby shower of a good friend, we ladies enjoyed a devotion on about serving others with your hands. It was so good that I asked the speaker if she'd allow me to post an excerpt. It's especially meaningful to me because Jacob and I are in the stage of parenting that is very "hands-on," with a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old--and both are in diapers! Thank, you, Kathie, for letting me share this. I hope this adaptation of Kathie's devotion will be a blessing to you.

Today for the theme of this devotional, I have chosen hands. Hands, we all have them. Some of us have soft-skinned and rather young hands, some older, with veins and spots; some have arthritic hands. Some use nail polish, some don't; most of us have rings to decorate our hands. As little girls we used them to pat the puppy, twirl the jump rope, swish the playdough, and splash in the tub. In grade school we made the bed, stirred the cookie dough, threw snow balls, and dressed our dolls; and as we have grown in knowing God, we have grown in using our hands to bless God by blessing others around us. First of all though, our hands are used to bless our husbands and then our children.

We, as mothers, clean baby bottoms, apply band-aids, wipe tears and dirty noses, hug, push strollers and then swings; we fasten buttons and make prom and wedding dresses (ok, some moms do); there's a cake to frost, a tub to fill, laundry to hang, and a meal to prepare. Our hands are truly marvelous, amazing tools for love, tools of compassion that God gives to moms to bless families, and really communities.

So we care for our hands; we clean them, moisturize them, and at the end of the day, we rest them.

But you know, these hands really have a limited ability to bless our children--a finite amount of lemons to squeeze, clapping at their sports events, hairstyling and cutting. For someday our hands like the rest of our bodies will cease to move, to work, to create and to love. So cherish each opportunity to bless your children with your hands, mothers.

God's word says in Proverbs 24:3, 4: Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His Holy Place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Our hands and a pure heart go together, so take time to keep your heart pure and hands clean before the Lord. Bring those hands in a posture of dedication, longing, and prayer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next time you find yourself doing dishes, putting jammies on the kids, or writing an encouraging note to someone, thank God for the opportunity to serve Him with your hands. How have you used your hands to serve the Lord today?