God's Hand(S)

God’s Hand

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: There is a saying that goes - “Those who leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything”. That is a very powerful and true statement the problem comes because we often fail to leave things in God’s hand. We want to try to work it out, do what we think is best, until we totally make a mess of a situation and then we want to cry out God here you go fix this for me please.

No before I go any further, we know God is a spirit and a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones. Luke 24:39 says “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have”. So, what are we talking about when we say God’s Hand(s)

This is called an Anthropomorphism – which is an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics. It is humanizing God so that we can try to understand Him. Man cannot understand God unless God reveals Himself to us, so we come up with anthropomorphism to try and describe that which we really cannot describe.

PRAYER:

SCRIPTURE: There are 122 verses in the Bible that mention God’s Hand(s). I am not going to give everyone, but I do want to mention a few Isaiah 49:16 says “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me” – if that doesn’t give you a feeling of security nothing will. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. You ought to tap yourself on the chest and say it’s going to be alright. Isaiah 48:13 says, “My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together”. I don’t know about you but that just lets me know that God is in control.

The hand of God is a symbol of God’s power, creative aspects, strength, guidance, instruction, and discipline.

It is the moving of God’s hand(s) that often seems to be the area we have trouble understanding until later on when we look back and realize that God had His hand on that. Often when we are going through a difficult or confusing time, we are unaware of how God is guiding us. Sometimes it can be years later before it finally becomes clear why God brought us through that experience the way He did. Now when we look back, we can see, the hand of God moving, guiding, protecting, upholding, delivering us and protecting us.

You know I like dealing with the numbers and their meaning in scripture. The number 3 is a very important number in scripture. 3 represents fullness - the state of being filled to capacity, the state of being complete or whole. There are 3 aspects of time Past, Present, Future. There were 3 parts of the Tabernacle Outer Court, Inner Court, and The Holy of Holies. David was anointed 3 times 1st time to be King, 2nd time to be King of Judah, 3rd time King over all Israel. Joseph had 3 coats the 1st his father gave him, the 2nd Potiphar gave him, the 3rd Pharoah gave him. 3 the Death, Burial, and Resurrection. 3 Justification, Sanctification, Glorification. There are 3 features of the preeminence of God 1 His love is unconditional, 2 He is eternal, 3 His immutable nature. 3 manifestations of the Godhead 1 God the Father, 2 God the Son, God the Holy Spirit this is called the fulness of the Godhead.

Today I want to deal with the 3 aspects of the hand of God

1.) The visible or the present hand of God – This is what God is doing right now. This is what we can see right now. In the midst of a Pandemic in the midst of a recession, in the midst of trials and tribulations I still have joy. One song writer said it like this “I know the Lord has laid His hands on me”. When I look around and see how He blesses me morning by morning new mercies I see. I have strength in my body, I have health, He keeps me safe from dangers seen and unseen. I got a situation in my life currently that if God didn’t put His hand on it and in it I would have lost my mind, but I see His hand working it out for my good. Stop for a minute and realize the present hand of God on your life. You have a reasonable portion of your health and strength. You are blessed in the city, you are blessed in the field, you are blessed when you come and when you go -That’s the present hand of God in your life. I can see it right now. He’s doing it. Tap yourself and say the present hand of God is a good start Bishop but I want more I want to go high I want to go to another level. Remember I said 3 aspects of the Hand of God well let’s go to another level.