To Be His Hand

TO BE HIS HAND

This picture of the Hand of Christ is extremely moving and humbling to me for several different reasons.

Firstly, because I love Jesus Christ and what He has done for me!  The price He paid on my behalf alone is unfathomable to imagine!  The depth and breadth of His love for every single soul defies all comprehension, and even if we are given but a glimpse of His love it is utterly overwhelming.  The tokens of His loving sacrifice are a glorious reminder of how much we mean to Him and the terrible price He paid on our behalf.

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands…” – Isaiah 49:16

I also love this sketch because my wife created it!  She has taken up painting a bit over the past few years and is developing a long-hidden artistic talent, which is amazing to see blossoming right before my eyes.  She has just recently begun to combine this talent with her testimony and study of the scriptures through a blog which you can find at Pigments and Ponderings and has many paintings and thoughts she will be sharing over time.  She has mostly done paintings before, and this was one of her first pencil sketches she has created for her latest blog post.

But the most moving thing about this sketch for me, is not in its mastery and precision of detail, but the fact that my wife used my own hand as the model for this composition.

To consider that my own imperfect hand could and would be transformed under the hands of a creator, to represent that glorious right hand of the Master Creator is a both greatly humbling, and in a way, a bit uncomfortable.  My hands are so far inferior and flawed compared to His own.  His hands which hold such Omnipotent power and strength, as well as the marks of my own imperfections and countless others, are glorious and perfect.  While my own hands are so often lacking in strength.

Yet the fact that my hand my might represent His in some small way is also very empowering to consider and humbles me all the more.  That He might consider using me as His representative in some way through my daily walk of life provides purpose and meaning to what I do and how I attempt to do it.

To those who desire to follow Him on the path of discipleship He has declared:

“Go forth among …thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.” – Alma 17:11

“Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thresh the nations by the power of my Spirit; And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me…” – Doctrine & Covenants 35:13-14.

One of the Lord’s living apostles, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf stated:

 “When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.

That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples...

As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.  … With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others.

Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.  If we are His hands, should we not do the same?

…As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

… let us commit to become His hands, that others through us may feel His loving embrace.” – (‘You are My Hands’, April 2010 General Conference)

As I look at this wonderful and humbling picture which my wife created, it gives me hope and purpose.  It moves me to repent and through His hands and Atonement become more pure and clean and a little better, despite my many imperfections.

I can by no means compare myself to the Savior, and would NEVER seek to do so.  But perhaps, with the help of His Mighty Hand, I can represent Him a little better through my own life and actions, despite my vast imperfections.

And to think that He loves me enough to give me opportunities to represent and serve others in His name, so that I can come to learn more about His love for me… well, that makes me love Him all the more!