Hands in the Cheetos

I had a thought this morning… you know you’re in trouble now!  Someone mentioned that God’s hand was in something that happened and I giggled because the mental image that popped into my head was that of a two year old.

I think most people, even those who don’t have kids, know what I’m talking about.  They have their hands in EVERYTHING!!  As a mom of 3 I remember almost constantly having to pick up something when one of my kids was at that age.  Usually after I thought everything was put away out of reach there was something else, and sometimes it was all put away and they still managed to get into something.  One time one of the kids, I won’t say which because even though they find it funny they would probably be mortified that I’m telling it on the web, managed to get the pantry open and get a big bag of Cheetos down and go to town.  They ate the WHOLE bag.  This was after crawling out of the crib; we hadn’t quite gotten up enough nerve to move to a toddler bed although it did happen right after that!

I think God is like that.  Like a two year old His hands are in everything, from the time of creation forward into our daily lives today.  You could say He gets into the Cheetos!

*Now, before I continue let me explain something.  God, except in the incarnation of Christ as man, does not literally have hands.  He is not a physical being like us and does not have our physical attributes.  In the Bible when the authors used human characteristics to explain something God did they were using that to explain something in a way the readers could understand, not a physical manifestation.  Please don’t misunderstand me on this.

Back to my post… There are so many examples in Scripture of God’s hands being in everything, everywhere, from all time.

He used them in creation:

• Hebrews 1:10 – He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
• Psalm 95:3-7 – For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
• Psalm 8:3-4 – When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
• Psalm 139:13 – For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Always holding us:

• Psalm 73:23 – Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
• Psalm 139:7-10 – Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed on the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

To help us:

• Psalm 60:5 – Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.
• Psalm 63:8 – My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Jesus has us in His hands as well:

• John 3:35 – The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
• John 10:29-30 – My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.

Jesus used His hands for miracles:

• Mark 1:30-31 – Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.  So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.  The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
• Luke 5:12-13 – While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.  When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.  “I am willing,” he said.  “Be clean!”  And immediately the leprosy left him.

These are just a few examples of how God’s hands are everywhere.  He keeps his hands upon us at all times.  He protects us at all times.  His hands are all over the place.  No matter how much we try to put things away and take care of it ourselves, He still finds it.  His hands are in the tough stuff, the good stuff, and the in-between stuff.  He wants us to trust Him with all our stuff.  He’s not like a two year old.  We don’t have to worry about Him sticking his fingers in a light socket, or swallowing something and choking.  We don’t have to worry about Him getting into the Cheetos.  He wants us to leave the Cheetos out for Him so that He can have them.  We don’t need to protect Him from the Cheetos, He can handle them!!!