“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;… with your right hand you save me. …Your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.”
Psalm 138:7-8
One of the most heart-wrenching memories of the 9/11 tragedy is of the 200 or so people in the World Trade Center towers who jumped to their deaths because of the unbearable heat of the fire inside. Many of them chose to hold hands with co-workers as they leaped.
Christian author Paul Miller refers to this tragic scene in his book, A Praying Life (2009):
“What’s the point of holding hands? They knew they were going to die whether or not they were holding hands. But life is more than logic. As humans, we reflect the complexity of God. Part of divine beauty is that we were made for community…. When Jesus asks his Father to ‘remove this cup from me,’ he knows that the divine community he shares with his Father will be broken at the cross. In asking and surrendering, just for a moment, he is holding hands with his Father.”
You’ve “held hands” when you’ve walked alongside someone in their suffering. In all of your circumstances, you have a Friend, Jesus! He is closer than any other and holds you fast in the palm of His hand.
Christian author Paul Miller refers to this tragic scene in his book, A Praying Life (2009):
“What’s the point of holding hands? They knew they were going to die whether or not they were holding hands. But life is more than logic. As humans, we reflect the complexity of God. Part of divine beauty is that we were made for community…. When Jesus asks his Father to ‘remove this cup from me,’ he knows that the divine community he shares with his Father will be broken at the cross. In asking and surrendering, just for a moment, he is holding hands with his Father.”
You’ve “held hands” when you’ve walked alongside someone in their suffering. In all of your circumstances, you have a Friend, Jesus! He is closer than any other and holds you fast in the palm of His hand.
Scripture Focus
John 10:25-30
Insight
When reading John 10:25-30, take note of how Jesus describes us as held in His hand, and then how His hand is enfolded in the Father’s hand. We’re doubly held!
Bible In A Year
- Isaiah 31-32
- Psalm 86
- Acts 8
