Deuteronomy 34:9 "Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him."

Deuteronomy 34:9 "Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him."

"What happened to Your hand?" a little girl asks Jesus in a present-day picture of Christ with children. Her question gives the picture its title. She is looking at the imprint of the nail by which Jesus was fixed to the cross.

The scars in Jesus' hands were marks of His sacrificial act of love. He had given Himself into the death of the cross to be "The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Our Savior had often used these same hands to serve men. He had laid them on men to heal them in their sickness. These same hands had lifted up the daughter of Jairus from her sleep of death. These same hands had been raised in blessing over little children whom Jesus loved.

God's hands of blessing rest on us when we trust Him to forgive us all our sins through the atoning death of Christ.

Moses used his hands to bless Joshua, and God bestowed the blessing in the gift of the spirit of wisdom.

We may use our hands for evil or for good. They may become tools of violence or instruments of charity. They may destroy or they may build. Do our hands bear the marks of service and love as did our Lord's?

PRAYER: Lord, take my hands and let them do works that show my love for You. Amen.

(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996, Concordia Publishing House (out of print). For information on other devotional materials, call 1-800 325-3040.)

Today's Bible Readings: Job 28-29    Matthew 13:1-30

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