WHEN OUR HANDS BECOME ILLEGAL

A Blog Post
Ugonna-Sylvester Ogan's Blog

Picture source: Google (Pinterest)

As a mum, I have often done so many things with my hands. I’m sure every parent has, especially for our kids and loved ones.

Most often, our kids especially the younger ones, cry out to us to hold them either when they want to sleep, when they are scared to walk through a path alone or when they just don’t want to be by themselves.

Think of the many times you have wrapped your hands around a loved one, welcoming him or her back from a tiring day at work. How about the many times you have offered your child – who is perhaps writing a tough exam or trying to crack a difficult homework – encouragement, with a pat on his or her shoulder.

When you are left with an infirmed loved one, you often find their hands clasped in yours as you prayerfully watch over them.
Also, kids who are challenged in one way or the other are often guided by the hands of their parents and others around them.

Indeed, the hand performs so many functions that we can’t say it all but we can highlight some of them:

It strengthens
It comforts
It guides
It removes fear
It gives confidence
It protects
It disciplines

We experience all these functions of the hand through our parents, our children, our siblings, our friends and loved ones.
I had an experience when my first son was to travel out of the country for his college degree. It was his first time of leaving home. My only comfort came from knowing my hubby would be travelling with him. I trusted that he would see him into his room, and help him with lots of things to get him settled.

It was going to be a strain on his schedule, considering his work and all but, as parents, we would go out of our way to get things done for our children. I had so much peace knowing his dad would be with him and I simply prayed for journey mercies.

I got destabilized when, some weeks before the journey, my hubby announced that his visa was denied. I knelt down in prayer and I asked GOD why. And, in a peaceful whisper, He asked, “Would you want the hand of a man to take your son to a far away country or would you prefer My hands (THE HANDS OF GOD) to take him?” Soberly, I whispered back, “Lord I prefer your hands.”

Immediately, peace settled in my heart. That was when I realized that our hands have become illegal, trying to do so many things at the same time. I guess we were trying to do God’s own work. To confirm God’s words to me, I went to ask my son how he was going to manage travelling alone and his reply was, “I don’t know why you worry so much. I can travel by myself.” And on his arrival the school sent some staff to pick him up at the airport and got him settled well, that's God's hand creating favour we didn't think of.

ONLY GOD’S HANDS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO MANY TASKS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME. OUR OWN HANDS CAN ONLY BUT PERFORM ONE TASK AT A TIME.

I have now realized that many of the things we do with our hands will always look illegal in the eyes of God until we learn to ask Him to overshadow our hands with His, even when we feel a desperate need to do things for our loved ones.

About 8 years ago, I was alone with my three kids who were all sick at the same time. My hubby was not around at the time. It was a tiring period for me as I attempted in futility, to attend to all three of them at the same time.

I realized that, even after I had prayed for them, I could, at least, have asked God to hold them at that time knowing that only God’s hands can comfort all three of them at the same time. It is when our hand decide to play the role of God in such situations that it becomes illegal.

Holding your phone in your hands while driving is illegal. It shows that you are doing more than what you are required to do with your hands at that time.
We have our loved ones spread all over the world and, in this season when we can neither visit nor hold them to offer strength or comfort in the face of the current  COVID 19 crisis, we call on God’s hands to hold and protect them in Jesus  name. Amen.

There are parents out there with autistic kids and it can be really hard to control or discipline them. It’s time to invoke God’s hands over them.

Even for the regular kids who proof stubborn, we are often tempted to raise our hands against them and spank them. But, we find out that the more we do this, the worse the situation seems to get. Isn’t it just exhausting? When you have done all you can to discipline them, pause for a moment and whisper to God to discipline them with His hands. Lol! It works.

Few months ago, when my kids told me they were going to write their tests, one prayer that came to my mind was, “Lord, as much as they have prepared for their test, please let your hands overtake their hands when they sit to write the test.”  It’s about time we consciously involved God’s hands, at all times, over the life of our loved ones.

Psalm 89:13 [NIV]: "Your arm is endowed with power, your hand is strong, your right hand is exalted."

Job 12: 9-10 [NIV]: "Which  of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."

Joshua 4:24 [NIV]: "He  did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."

PRAYER: LORD FORGIVE US FOR TRYING TO DO ALL THINGS, AT THE SAME TIME, FOR OUR LOVED ONES. WE CALL ON YOUR HANDS TO REPLACE OURS THAT WE MAY SEE THE WONDEROUS WORKS OF YOUR HANDS THAT BRING SO MUCH PEACE INTO OUR HEARTS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN!