Rev. Ray and Pat Amos
Ezekiel 37:1, Psalm 32:4
DEVOTION FOR TODAY, January 15, 2020
The hand of the Lord was upon me. Ezekiel 37:1 –
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me… Psalm 32:4
The hand of Love is both a comforter and a disciplinarian. When I was a child there was no greater feeling than the hand of my Father upon my shoulder. Neither was there a more dreaded feeling than when that same hand was heavy upon me; yet I knew that both were the hands of Love.
“Can I pray with you?” I had just met a new friend in the hospital. I remember his response, “I don’t think that even God has long enough arms to reach me.” Was it more of a confession for the depth of his sins, or was it doubt that God could save him? I think that it was both. We can get pretty low in life; and the devil enjoys convincing us that we are beyond God’s reach.
Even Moses had some doubts about the power of the Lord. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short?” (Numbers 11:23)
We only have to be in the Gospel a short while to realize that Jesus practiced the power of touch. Even the untouchables were embraced and healed. We too can pray the hymn: “Heal me, hands of Jesus, and search out all my pain; restore my hope, remove my fear, and bring me peace again.”
I hope that you feel touched today by the beautiful nail-scarred hands that do all things well. They are strong enough to crush evil and death, yet gentle enough to wipe tears from our eyes. They can be heavy when necessary, and yet soothing to our soul. The hand of God is always the hand of Love.
Let’s sing: “While I was praying somebody touched me. It must have been the hand of the Lord.” And then, “He touched me, and O the joy that floods my soul.”
Grace and Peace, Rev Ray
“Link to YouTube Video – Somebody Touched Me”
