Hand or Hands

Hand

Day 1

Hand or Hands

The end of a person's arm that serves as a grasping and handling tool. The hand enables humans to use tools and to act in ways that are impossible for animals.

This is the common definition of the word hand. But when you look further into God's word, you will find that there are several other ways to define the word hand.

The Bible speaks of hands in the physical sense to explain the person's attitude.

Uplifted hands showed praise and petition to God. They also showed violence against another person.
Exodus 3:8 And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand and power of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and large, a land flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]--to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
1 Samuel 23:17 He said to him, Fear not; the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father knows that too.
Psalm 31:15 My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me. Drooping hands showed weariness.
Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble and tottering knees. Laying hands on heads showed:

The transferal of power (Genesis 48:17 17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim's head, it displeased him; and he held up his father's hand to move it to Manasseh's head.)

Hands were also used in symbolism. The "hand of someone or a group was used in scripture several times. Hands do the will of the entire person or the "whole being".
Psalms 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully
Acts 2:23 This Jesus, when delivered up according to the definite and fixed purpose and settled plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and put out of the way [killing Him] by the hands of lawless and wicked men

So why did I choose Hand? I don't know. It was the word that seemed to jump off the page, make my heart beat a little faster, it was the word that God had set a part for this devotional and so I only pray that I will be able to teach you what I learned and what God had in mind for you this week.

Dear Lord, I pray that each of the recipients of this devotional and those who come across it on the Internet, will be touched by this devotional. How funny is it that I used the word touch in a prayer about the word Hand? Anyway, Lord, I am praying for each of us to hear your word, to be able to walk closer with you and to have the knowledge that only comes from you. Lord, I praise you for using me and ask for your Divine touch on all the details of this devotional.

Day 2

Hands

Hand of God defined the great power of God.

Deuteronomy 2:15 15 Moreover the hand of the Lord was against them to exterminate them from the midst of the camp, until they were all gone.

Leviticus 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions, all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat [the sin-bearer], and send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man [a]who is timely (ready, fit).

God's power in creation

Psalms 8:6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet:

Isaiah 64:8 Yet, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hand

God's power in judgement- "his hand is outstretched".

Ruth 1:13 Would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; it is far more bitter for me than for you that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

Isaiah 9:12 The Syrians [compelled to fight with their enemies, going] before [on the east] and the Philistines behind [on the west]; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, [God's] anger is not [then] turned away, but His hand is still stretched out [in judgment].

17 17Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will He have compassion on their fatherless and widows, for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this, [God's] anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out [in judgment].

To extend God's mercy and forgiveness.

Psalm 37:24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.

In the New Testament Jesus placed his hands on children and the sick when he healed them. Matthew 19:13 Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 15 And He put His hands upon them, and then went on His way.

Matthew 9:18 While He was talking this way to them, behold, a ruler entered and, kneeling down, worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just [a]now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will come to life.

In the early church, hands were used to heal and for the reception of the holy spirit.

Acts 9:17

So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Whenever there was a ceremony where hands were placed on heads, it was accompanied by prayer.

Day 3

The laying on of hands was not a magical or superstitious rite that gave a person special power. It expressed the idea of being set apart by God's people for a special task. Placing hands upon a person by a body of believers in ceremonial fashion symbolized that person's authority or his appointment to a special task.

Do you believe you were set aside for a special task?

Do you believe you have the power to heal others through your hands? Why or why not?

Have you ever been part of a group who has laid hands on someone in prayer for healing in their lives? To receive the holy spirit?

Do you believe we are the extension of God's Hand here on earth?

As Christians, we have the authority to call God's power into a situation, have you ever used that authority?

I had so much information on Hands, that I wanted to offer some more if you want it.

Other references to hands in the Bible

The ordination of church officials.

1 Timothy 5:22 22 Do not be in a hurry in the laying on of hands [giving the sanction of the church too hastily in reinstating expelled offenders or in ordination in questionable cases], nor share or participate in another man's sins; keep yourself pure.

Laying hands on someone would also symbolize blessing and the setting apart of someone. This would take place by laying the right hand on the head. Just as Jesus sits at the right hand of God to symbolize power.

Deuteronomy 34:9 And Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him; so the Israelites listened to him and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

In the ancient world hands were decorated with bracelets and rings.
Genesis 24:22 And when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold earring or nose ring of half a shekel in weight, and for her hands two bracelets of ten shekels in weight in gold,
Ezekial 23:42 And the sound of a careless crowd was with her, and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness, who put bracelets upon the hands of both sisters and beautiful crowns upon their heads.

In the Old Testament, hands would be laid on the head of an animal intended for sacrifice. This would symbolize the transferal of sins and guilt to the goat then it would be taken away in to the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions, all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat [the sin-bearer], and send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man [a]who is timely (ready, fit).

Day 4

A few weeks ago I celebrated my 5 year Baptism anniversary. It is like a second birthday to me. The day I was willing to declare publicly that I was going to serve God and that I was getting rid of my old self to become a new person in Christ. I had been a Christian 7 months and knew that God had a lot of work in molding me into what he created me to be. I have made several mistakes along the way, but looking at where I was and where I am now, it is apparent in my life that God's "hand" has been there since my birth. Even before I became a Christian, he was orchestrating the moment I would come into a relationship with him. The people in my life along the way stretched out their hands and extended the power God had given them. I remember one grand moment in my life, where God became real to me. I used to care about me, my self and I and sometime others. I was one of those people that believed I was the only one in control of my life. The only time I used the word God, was to use it wrongly or to pray to get myself out of trouble. Even though I did not believe in God, I prayed because it was like a band aid, it covered all my bases. When God started making himself real in my life, I was not willing to admit that He was real. I did not want my mind to believe what my heart was starting to say. One day I shared with my mother in law that I didn't think I would be able to believe in God unless he showed himself to me. Well, he did and I am sure that it had something to do with my mother in law and her faithfulness in prayer. Although she was not the one whose hands led me to believe, God knew that I would share that with her and she would be faithful enough to call on the power of God. My neighbor placed her hands on me and my daughter and asked for healing for her ears. A few days later, God revealed to me that he was real and that my heart was telling the truth. God healed my baby and it was because he trusted those who were willing to be an extension of his Hand.

Will you be trusted with the special task of being an extension of God's hand? Pray with me.

Lord, I thank you for "setting us apart" for a special task. Lord, help me to see when there is an opportunity to reveal the power and authority that only you can give to me. Lord, help me to be a witness, not just by the healing I have received, but by the power you have given me to pray for others and place my hands upon them for healing. Will you give us all a boldness of stretching out of our little comfort bubbles and becoming the "hand of God" to those who need your healing. I want to be able to reveal your love and amazing power to the lost and hurting people that I know in my life. I trust lord, just as you can trust me, that you will work in those details and that as long as I am willing to use my hands, you will do the rest. I praise you Lord that I am your child and my heart breaks for those who do not know you. May my actions reflect those of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Day 5

Praise Fridays, we want to post your praises for the weekend to give everyone hope. Please forward on a praise for us by Thursday evening.

Ask God to reveal to you moments where you can stretch out your hands and transfer his power to those who need it.

Confess moments where you have ignored God's calling in your life to be an extension of Him.

Praise God for the knowledge you now have for for giving you chances to reveal his power to others.

Pray for God to constantly remind you of his power. Pray for moments that only God can orchestrate. Pray for those who come to mind that you know need healing in their lives. Pray for God to bring others into their lives to reveal his power to them if you are not the one he will use for that special task.