We know that God is a pure and infinite spirit. But Scripture also attributes human characteristics to him. In his wisdom, God wanted to be real for his children. He wanted to be someone we could hold on to. In God’s own words to us, he has described himself in physical images. For example, Jesus described the Father like a “hen who gathers her chicks safely under her wing” (Lk 13:34). It seems significant, too, that there are 122 references to the hands of God.
We understand how our own hands are so important in expressing our love and care for one another—a touch, a caress, a protective hold. That image also tells us so much about our Creator. In the creation story, God creates the heavens and earth by an act of will. However, when it comes to the gift of life, Genesis says, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness” (1:28).
The image of us being held in the hands of God is such a help in understanding how close he is to us. We even think of God as picking us up after a fall. Of course, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, used his hands to touch, to hold, and to heal. Jesus “lays his hands” on a leper (Mk 1:41). To touch a leper would be unthinkable, making Jesus ritually unclean and unable to enter the temple. But that is exactly what he did. The leper was healed.
Put simply, we are all in the Almighty’s hands. This should remind us that God is not distant from us. He is not just with us, but actually within us.
Remember Jesus’ description of the Prodigal Son? The young man’s father saw him returning from his foolish venture into society. He was returning home with all his dreams smashed to bits. Luke writes, “When he was still afar off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced [threw his arms around] him and kissed him” (15:20).
Thus, when we pray for our loved ones, there is that beautiful way of telling God, “Lord, I give my loved ones to you. Take them and hold them safely in your hands.” Even for ourselves, we can say, “Lord, I give myself into your hands.”
First-time mothers have told me that when they are home from the hospital with their newborns, they can’t keep their hands off them. They can only gaze at the miracle of new life in their arms. Now imagine how the Almighty looks upon us as sons and daughters. Imagine God speaking to us, “You are mine. I will do anything for you. I want you with me for all eternity.”
That is our loving God speaking.
