|
Those
Hands
An
orphaned boy was living with his grandmother when
their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to
get upstairs to rescue the boy, perished in the
flames. The boy’s cries for help were finally
answered by a man who climbed an iron drainpipe and
came back down with the boy hanging tightly to his
neck.
Several
weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine
who would receive custody of the child. A farmer, a
teacher, and the town’s wealthiest citizen all gave
the reasons they felt they should be chosen to give
the boy a home. But as they talked, the lad’s eyes
remained focused on the floor. Then a stranger walked
to the front and slowly took his hands from his
pockets, revealing severe scars on them. As the crowd
gasped, the boy cried out in recognition. This was the
man who had saved his life. His hands had been burned
when he climbed the hot pipe.
With
a leap, the boy threw his arms around the man’s neck
and held on for dear life. The other men silently
walked away, leaving the boy and his rescuer alone. Those
marred hands had settled the issue! *
Sin
leaves each of us in desperate and deadly
circumstances. But
Jesus has come to our rescue.
In order to rescue us, Jesus had to die on the
cross as payment for our sins.
He “gave himself for us to redeem us from all
wickedness” (Titus 2:14).
He
will redeem THOSE who cling to Him in trusting
obedience: believing
Him (Acts 16:30-31), repenting
of sin (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confessing
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), being baptized
(immersed) in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and living
faithfully to Him to the end (1 John 1:7).
After
Jesus was raised from the dead, He appeared to His
disciples.... Thomas,
one of the twelve apostles, was not with them when
Jesus came. When
the other disciples told him of Jesus’ visit, Thomas
said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print
of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will
not believe" (John 20:25).
Eight
days later, Jesus came to see His disciples again - this
time Thomas was with them....
Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger
here; see My hands; and reach your hand here, and put
it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but
believing" (John 20:27).
When Thomas saw those nail-pierced hands, he
said to Jesus,
"My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).
Those
nail-pierced hands settle the issue! To Him
belongs our love and devotion.
Will
you cling to Him through your
trusting obedience?
God bless you!
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Leslie B. Flynn
To
Subscribe to "Living Water"
send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net
TEXT version: subscribe-livingwater-text@lyris.dundee.net
Follow
this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com
Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website
at: www.creekwoodcc.org
|
