Lending a hand
Lending and receiving a helping hand are always blessings. It has a special significance when it happens, that someone voluntarily offers a hand. It is within our nature to offer a hand to someone with or without needs. We take after our creator, whom the bible says created us after his own image. God has a hand, well not a physical one but a spiritual one the scriptures says that he is spirit. God’s hand is mentioned in 122 verses in the bible. His right hand has the symbol of power, strength, authority and protection, and it is mentioned 137 times in the bible. His hand he uses to guide, heal and discipline us, just as a father does. Job says that God wounds and heals with his hand (job5:18). The Psalmist said that with God’s right hand he upholds him (Ps18:35). He guides us with his mighty hand (Ps139:10) and holds us that we fall not.
Exodus 13:13-14
13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
As a symbol of God’s redemption plan the children of Israel had to make sure that their first-born child was protected as the first born of their ass. So that when their children would question the parents about why they were putting emphasis on their first born, they could explain how God with his mighty right hand brought them out of Egypt. Our enemies God defeats with his mighty right hand (Ps138:7). God’s saving hand is seeing also when Elijah prayed seven times for rain and on the seventh time his servant saw what look like the hand of a man in the clouds coming out of the sea (1Kg18:43-44). His right hand is a place of power and authority, and it is where Jesus is (Ro8:34) interceding for us. Because God still saves, his hand has not been shortened to not be able to save or succor us (Is59:1).
Job 5:18
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
Psalms 18:35
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psalms 139:10
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
1 Kings 18:43-44
43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
Romans 8:34
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Isaiah 59:1
Behold, the Lord‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: