Serenity and Hands

Click on this link for Today's Serenity for just a moment or longer.  

Karl E. Lutze, author of "Forgive our Forgettings, Lord!" has written this action prayer. Though it was written in 1972, I've added a few phrases to bring this timeless prayer up to date. You can read and participate as one or with a group.

I read this while listening to the Tim Janis music from the link above.  

Your Hands Stretched Out to Us

ALL:

Your hands, once tiny, holding a parent's little finger, or fumbling with a toy;

These hands that grip steering wheels, flick light switches, turn door knobs, press letters and links on keyboards and screens, push vacuums, lift dish towels and fold laundry;

These hands that guide pencils, hold children, wield heavy tools, count, sort, gesture, wave or manipulate fine instruments and intricate machines;

These hands I fold - a symbol of constraint of my own activities so that I might concentrate on what I am saying when I pray, "Into Your hands I commend myself."

ONE:

Those hands that rested on the shoulders of burdened people, that passed out food to throngs, that lifted little children high, that touched the eyes of blind men and made them see again;

Those hands that touched fevered brows with cooling relief and healing; that drew saddened people near; that touched corpses, restoring life.

Those hands, when raised, stilled storms.

Those hands broke bread and passed the cup.

Those hands you surrendered to, hammer and nails and death.

Those hands revealing scars were raised to communicate to men God's peace, forgiveness and love.

Those hands stretched out to us, beckon and invite, and so we come to hands far stronger than our own, at Your hands to receive strength for our own weary, failing hands - strength to draw away from greedy grasping and selfish seizing

ALL:

Take these folded hands and open them to receive Your love and to share that love with others whose hands have long been cold and empty and far too often crushed and crippled by selfish and thoughtless people.  

                                    

You have made us members of Your body, forgiving our stiff and unbending paralysis.

Strengthen us to be the hands that reach out in Your name to the lonely, the frustrated, the frightened, the exhausted, the bitter, and the hopeless, with Your love, so that hands everywhere may be raised in praise to You, whose hand is ever upon us to hold us fast and to give us peace. AMEN (K.E.L.)

Be Blessed! sb