While this translation of Isaiah’s words (Isaiah 49:13-16) indicates that God has engraved our name on the palms of God’s hands…there is more. A better translation is that God has not just engraved our names but our very selves on God’s hands. What does it mean that God has imprinted every part of ourselves and our lives into the etchings of God’s own hands? What does that mean as we enter into the Lenten season? Lent is a season where we give attention to prayer, to fasting and to giving to oth-ers. This season we are going to look at God’s Work through Our Hands, reminded that we are etched into God’s hands.
We will go through the next 40 days looking at how our hands mesh into the very hands of God through Christ. As you hold a child’s hand, grasp a wiser old Lutheran’s hand, take the hand of a friend or a spouse…think about God’s hand clasping yours. The playfulness and seriousness of grasping another hand. Think about Christ’s hands scarred by the nails of the cross and through that act of love he will never let go of any of his baptized family.
Jesus promises, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:28-29
Come to worship in Lent and see how God’s powerful hands are part of each of us. As we highlight different characters of the Bible during each weekend worship service and during holy week, it is my hope you see yourselves and those around you through them. As we hear stories of Eve, Nicodemus, Judas, Barabbas, Pilate, the thief’s father, Peter, the Centurion, and Mary Magdelene, may we see God’s redeeming work that culminates in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
Come to worship and experience the secure grip of the nail-scarred hands of our amazing God.
Lenten Peace,
Pastor Holly