HOLD TIGHTLY TO HIS HAND

HOLD TIGHTLY TO HIS HAND

If ever a time we need to hold tightly to God’s hand it is now.  I think of His hands often.  I am reminded that His hands are nail-pierced for me.  His hands are the hands of the Creator.  As I look outside at those grey clouds I am reminded again of those hands who hold this world together.  With those precious hands He healed the sick, opened blind eyes and deaf ears.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yet I will not forget you. See I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands: your walls are continually before Me” Isaiah 49:15-16.

Those hands, those precious hands are engraved with your name, my friend and mine.  He will never forget us. I am again reminded of an elderly man as I showed him this scripture to remind him how much God loved him.  “But that is millions of people” he said.  And as I left him that day he was still looking at his hands and amazed at God’s promise.

As I continue to recover and have needed an extra hand to help me along I have been looking at my husband’s strong hands, His hands are strong and sturdy to lead me along in this journey I am on at this time. His hands are loving hands.  His are hard-working hands and gentle hands who gently held three baby daughters and walked them also down the aisle in marriage. And we continue to walk hand in hand together ever mindful of Who has held our hands in His over these fifty two years.

And I am again reminded of my Wonderful Lord and how He has never changed and His hands have held me fast when the storms have come in my life and as the years roll on and it seems like some trials come back-to-back.  I could not find any stories of how this song was written but look at the words and hold tightly to His hand.

HOLD TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND

Time is filled with transition,

Naught of earth unmoved can stand,

Build your hopes on things eternal,

Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Refrain:

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,

Hold to God’s unchanging hand;

Build your hopes on things eternal,

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,

Trust in Him who will not leave you,

Whatsoever years may bring,

If by earthly friends forsaken,

Still more closely to Him cling.

Refrain

Covet not this world’s vain riches

That so rapidly decay,

Seek to gain the heav’nly treasures

They will never pass away.

Refrain

When your journey is completed,

If to God you have been true,

Fair and bright the home in glory

Your enraptured soul will view.

Franklin l. Eiland

I look back over the years and see the changes time has made. When I was young I never thought about the years ahead.  After all time moved slowly it seemed. We were busy raising our children and didn’t give much thought to the fact of growing old.  But here we are in our senior years and time seems to be speeding up.  But I have learned to hold tightly to His hand.  He never changes or will ever let go of my hand.

He has promised in His Word to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  And we don’t know what the years ahead hold.  As we get older more of our friends and loved ones will leave us.  Some come to a place in life where no friends or family remain but there is a hand that we can cling to tightly, His unchanging hand!

The riches of this world will pass away.  We will take nothing of this world with us when we die.  But what we have done for Jesus will bring us treasures in heaven.  Whose hand are you clinging to this day?  Are you clinging to the possessions of this world?  I pray this day that if you feel like your world is falling apart and earthly friends have forsaken you, just reach up right now by faith and take His outstretched hand, as He reaches out to you.

And someday this journey will be over.  We who love the Lord will be welcomed home at last by the One who has held us fast over the years.  There will be eternal joy in His presence and gathered there will be loved ones and no more parting over there.  So my friends whatever happens in our lives we can cling to God’s unchanging hand.

In His Name,

Pastor Sharon