What do
God’s hands look like? How big are they? How many octaves can they
stretch on a piano keyboard? How strong is their grip? How much can they
hold? We know that God does not have physical hands
as we do. The Bible tells us “God is spirit,” not flesh and blood.
However, in
order to help illustrate God’s ruling and working in our lives, we
sometimes talk about God’s right and left hands. God’s right hand
relates to His rule of grace in the hearts of all believers.
Through the message of Christ crucified, the Lord calls sinners to
repentance and faith in Jesus for forgiveness. God’s left hand refers to
how He rules earthly nations through the governments He Himself puts in
place. Paul writes: “There is no authority except
that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God” (Romans 13:1).
While each
of God’s “hands” does very different things, they are really working
together to carry out His saving will in the world. Just as we dig into a
project with “both hands” and work hard to
accomplish it, so God uses His left hand to protect and preserve our
physical lives and to provide the stability needed in society for His
Word to be preached and spread freely.
So today as
you use your hands at work or to catch up with chores around the house
or just to hold a book and relax, thank God for His “hands” which are
always at work for our blessing today and forever.
In tomorrow’s sermon text (1 Timothy 2:1-8), Paul urges prayers for all
people and especially for those in authority in government, in order
that many more may come to know Jesus as the Mediator who has reconciled
the world to God.
