Hands and Feet

I was thinking about that verse that talks about us “being the hands and feet of Jesus.” It’s generally used as a kind of call to action: Feed the poor. Love your neighbor. Share the Gospel. Basically, put your hands and feet to work and go do what Jesus would do.

The funny thing is, I couldn’t find that verse–not verbatim anyway. There was no command to (or from) the disciples to go out and “be the hands and feet of Jesus.” The closest I came to the actual words was in Luke 24:39 when Jesus refers to “…my hands and my feet” and again one verse later when Luke writes “…his hands and feet.” However, neither of those verses was related to us going out and doing stuff. Rather, both of the verses were related to what Jesus had already done.

At the beginning of Luke chapter 24, Jesus has just risen from the dead. Much of the rest of the chapter consists of people finding out about it and struggling to believe it. Appearing at the table of His disciples, Jesus questions why they doubt that it’s really Him; and in verse 39 He directs them, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!…” Then in verse 40 Luke writes, “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.”

Jesus showed the disciples his hands and feet.

As proof.

That it was really Him.

Because the wounds were still fresh.
Wounds from the nails.
Not modern, smooth, shiny, sharp, thin nails.
But ancient, thick, forged, probably fairly blunt nails.
Hammered in…and through…Jesus’ hands and feet.

The holes where those nails had gone in were still clearly visible. So Jesus held out his hands and pointed to his feet…as proof. “It is I myself!”

Proof.

That it was really Him…Jesus, the Son of God, who had died on the cross in front of the disciples’ own eyes, and yet stood before them now.

The hands and feet of Jesus are proof that He was really crucified, that He really did rise again, and that God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. In other words, the hands and feet of Jesus are proof—rather grizzly but undeniable proof—of God’s Love for us.


Before He was crucified, Jesus prayed to His Father, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

“Not my will, but yours be done.”

Then…the nails.

Man, that is some hard core obedience right there.

And I admit, that image doesn’t exactly get me jazzed up about “being the hands and feet of Jesus.”

But there’s something about being “proof” of God’s Love that seems worth it. Holding out our hands and feet for God to do with them what He will in order to show someone–in flesh and blood–that God loves them.

“Not my will, but yours be done.”

God’s will via our hands and feet.

As proof…of God’s Love.

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Over the Moon

A friend from church is a new grandpa.  Isabella is the first grandchild for him and his wife and, suffice it to say, he is over the moon for her.  Last Sunday he told me the highlight of the week was holding her while she napped…for hours.

I remember that.
Holding my son, watching him sleep, and being absolutely fascinated.
In love with his little parted lips.
Amazed by his soft puffs of breath.
And simply overjoyed by his peaceful sleep.
My heart would almost burst.

Watching my friend bask in the joy of his granddaughter’s nap reminded me that sleeping babies are a universal crowd pleaser; we absolutely LOVE them!  Sure babies are fun when they’re awake–the goofy facial expressions, the funny noises, even the bad smells–but that zen sleeping baby thing beats them all.

And even when those babies start to grow up and walk and run and do things we wished they hadn’t–at the end of the day, when we peek in and see them sound asleep, hair askew, drool puddling on the pillow, our hearts melt, and we practically swoon with love.

 

I wonder if God feels the same way about us.
After a busy day of watching us do cute things and not-so-cute things and lovingly shaking His head at it all, I wonder if His heart swells the most when we finally lie down and rest.  When we stop striving and stop running and just…stop.   Does He watch us–with our lips slightly parted, hair askew, doing nothing “productive” at all–and does our heavenly Father suddenly love us even more?

 

I have a hunch maybe so.

 

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!   – 1 John 3:1