“You are my God. My times are in Your hand.”
Psalm 31:14-15
How comforting it is to know that our lives are in God’s hands. David, who wrote this Psalm, was certainly thinking of his own eventful and turbulent life. God’s hand was clearly evident in his life. When he was still a young boy tending his father’s sheep, a bear and a lion came to carry off a lamb or a sheep as prey. However, David killed them. He could hardly have done this on his own, but God strengthened his hands and gave him victory. Then he was in mortal danger again when he fought the giant Goliath. The giant would have relished to kill David, but God’s hand protected him. Later, when he came to Saul’s royal court, his life was in danger almost day and night. He was even pursued like a wild animal in the mountains. He would certainly have fallen into Saul’s hands if the Lord had not been his shield.
Then, when he became king, his enemies were even more numerous. Indeed, his own son pursued him and sought his life. Yet through all these dangers, God’s hand safely guided him. No wonder he exclaimed, “You are my God! My times are in Your hand!”
So too, our lives are in God’s hands, even at this very moment. It may not be as stormy as David’s life; however, it certainly is not always sunshine and not always without danger.
The hands of humans are so weak and powerless! A small child may lie in the hands of its loving mother, but how powerless she stands when she comes to deaths door. No tears and no lamentations can help. Death remains the victor. Yet Jesus says, “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV). Not even death can lay a hand on people without God’s permission. Oh, the safety of believers who are in God’s hands!
Joseph’s life was in these hands, otherwise he would never have been honored in Egypt. Daniel’s life was in these hands, otherwise he would have been prey to the lions. Paul’s life was also in these hands, otherwise he would never have seen Rome. Often, we do not recognize the hand that guides us.
Years ago, a man was walking towards the harbor in Europe to board a ship that would take him to America. On the way he saw a plant and picked it. Immediately, a police officer put his hand on his shoulder, because it was illegal to pick flowers or plants in that country. All his excuses didn’t help. He was taken to the police station. After paying his fine, he hurried back to the harbor. However, the steamer had already departed. He was very displeased and criticized the police and the country for their laws.
A few days later, he shared his experience at a pub, and once again expressed his displeasure. Then someone handed him the newspaper, and there it was in large letters: “The ship and all on board have sunk.” As he read this, he was deeply moved. He asked God for forgiveness. He became a new person, and from that moment on, tried never again to go his own way, but instead followed God’s guidance and leadership in all things.
Our lives lie in the hands of love. If God were a tyrant like the gods of the pagans, we would certainly not be envied for being in His hands. It is hard to imagine anything worse than an almighty God who is a tyrant. However, God is a God of love, and our lives are in His hands. These are the hands that bled for us on the cross out of love. These are the hands that will carry us into old age, until we turn gray.
In the seat of government in Springfield, Illinois, USA, a bloodstained cloth is kept that commemorates the death of Abraham Lincoln. On that memorable evening when Lincoln was shot, a lady held his head in her lap, and her dress was stained by his bleeding wounds. This cloth bears witness to the love Lincoln had for black people. In the same way, the nail marks in Jesus’ hands testify to his love for humanity. We can confidently place ourselves in these hands, whether in life or in death.
We read in Psalm 32:4: “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.” Nevertheless, it was still the hand of love. When God sends a drought into our lives, it also has its purpose and only serves to make the harvest all the richer and greater later on.
Our lives are also in the hands of wisdom. God knows what will serve us best. Some weary pilgrims wait almost impatiently for the moment when the waters of the Jordan will part, and they can cross over into the better land. They cannot understand why they still have to wait. Then there is a young man who is just preparing for his profession in life, and God calls him home. One must stay, the other must depart. God alone knows why. Our time is in His hands. His hands lead us on the right path. It may not always be the path that pleases the flesh, but it is the path that leads upward to God.
Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Our lives can only fulfill their highest mission when they are guided by the hand of God. Yet how many want to go their own way! There is only one power in the world that can tear us away from God, and that is sin. Sin leads our lives down the wrong path. If we are to be guided by God, the connection between us and Him must be holy and without sin.
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