The Hands of Jesus

By Rev. Dr. Emmanuel James

Text:  Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27).

  Many of us have seen the painting of “Praying Hands”. The artist has skillfully and beautifully painted the hands that portray hard work and loving sacrifice. There is a beautiful story about this painting. In a tiny village near Nuremberg, there lived a family with eighteen children during the fifteenth century. The father worked almost eighteen hours a day to feed the family. Two of the older children wanted to pursue their talent for art. They decided to toss a coin to settle the matter. The agreements was the loser would work in the mines and with his earnings, support his brother in the Art Academy. When that brother completed his studies in four years, he would support the other brother at the Nuremberg academy.

On a Sunday morning after church they tossed a coin. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg academy.  Albert went to the dangerous mines and for the next four years worked hard to finance his brother. His work at the academy was an immediate success. After Albrecht graduated, he began to earn considerable money.  He returned home and his family held a big dinner to celebrate. After the meal, Albrecht rose to drink a toast to thank his beloved brother for his years of sacrifice that had enabled him to fulfill his ambition. His concluded by saying, "Albert, my dear brother, now it is your turn. You can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will support you." Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face and said, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. Look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once and I have been suffering from arthritis pain in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. For me it is too late."

In order to show his gratitude to his brother Albert who had sacrificed so much, Albrecht painstakingly drew his brother's twisted hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward in prayer. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love and gratitude, "The Praying Hands."

The next time you see that painting, let it touch your heart and remind you that there is One who loved you so much that He allowed His hands to be bruised and nailed to the Cross so that you and I could be saved and go to heaven. How can we express our gratitude to our dear Lord Jesus for what He has done for us?

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I love you and thank you with all gratitude and humility for your loving sacrifice and compassion on me. I express my gratitude to you by offering myself, my body, mind and spirit as a living and living sacrifice to you. In your precious name, Amen