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Jesus' Hands
A book I am currently reading asks, among other things, the question, “What is that Christians feel the most guilty about?” Do Christian feel most guilty because they fall into the same kinds of sins as everyone else? Do they feel most guilty because they don’t seem to be able to live up to the standard they set themselves? Do they feel most guilty because they don’t give as much money for Christian Service, as they think they should? In fact, what the author suggests is that Christians feel most guilty because they don’t pray as often, or for as long, as they think they should. Prayer seems to be the number one guilt trip which Christians are most prone to take. Perhaps most of us either feel the same at the moment, or have certainly felt that way in our journey as Christ followers. We know we haven’t, or don’t, pray as often or as deeply or as methodically, as we should. Perhaps we will find consolation in the words of Brother Lawrence who said , “For many years I was bothered by the thought that I was a failure at prayer. Then one day I realized that I would always be a failure at prayer.; and I’ve gotten along much better ever since.” We would like to be people who pray more, are more consistent in prayer, but it seems to elude us. I am heartened by the comments of Thomas Merton who said, “We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else byt beginners all our life.” This morning, on this first Sunday of Lent, I would like to introduce the preaching series which we will be following through each Sunday in Lent, and the series is entitled - “Jesus’ hands and ours.” This morning, as seems most appropriate, I would like us to begin by thinking of Jesus’ hands as first and foremost, praying hands. Jesus never seemed to have a problem with not praying enough, and perhaps that was because Jesus understood more clearly than we do the value and the benefit and the importance of prayer. Whenever I read a book about prayer, I think, yes! – that’s right! I must pray more! And I find it as difficult to put that into practice as many of you do. In a way, because I am younger than many of you, and you have had more years of experience at praying than I have, - perhaps I should be asking you to share this morning what you do in this matter of prayer. However, I don’t think it would be polite to put you on the spot – but it was just a thought! So lets think about prayer, and Jesus hands and prayer, for just a moment. Firstly though, lets go back to the gospel reading – Matthew chapter 6. this section is part of the sermon on the mount where Jesus, first and foremost, is teaching his disciples about what it means to be a Christ follower. He has just finished announcing the beatitudes then he proceeds to teach more about the place and purpose of the law; about anger, adultery, divorce, the making of vows, about revenge and love for enemies, - and now in the beginning of chapter 6 he speaks about what He calls “our religious duties”, and how we should perform them – giving to the needy, praying and fasting., and rounds that off with teaching us how to pray – when he gives us that model which we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Jesus appears to say only three things about prayer:- but each is hugely significant. Firstly, that prayer is not an option. It’s not “if” you pray, but “when” you pray. Prayer is expected to be a natural part of the disciples life – an integral , even central part of the believers life, not an afterthought.. Secondly, prayer is to be mostly a matter for ones private life. Jesus is not denouncing what we would call public worship, because Jesus himself often went to the temple or to the synagogue to pray with others. But what he is saying here is that the predominant place and time for prayer is on your own – just you and God. It is about building and establishing a private and personal relationship with the Father. Thirdly, Jesus says that when we pray in private, God will reward us. There is a benefit which comes to us through praying privately, without putting on a show. That of course, is not the reason we pray, but there is, undeniably, a benefit – many benefits actually, to be gained from praying. And Fourthly, Jesus says when we pray we are to be,what I would call, “authentic” about our prayers. We are to use words which are real and meaningful for us, not words to try and impress God. Use ordinary, everyday honest words which reflect how you are, your needs and the needs of others. God understands ordinary words! And we can keep our prayers to the point because God hears and knows what we mean. Prayer is a matter of the heart coming before God, and opening itself to God. Jesus then gives us the model of how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer, even if we find it difficult to begin or establish a consistent time and regular time for prayer, offer us a model which we can pray in just a few minutes, or we can extend it to a much longer time if we wish to. Each phrase in the Lord’s Prayer can be used as a guide post to direct our thoughts, our prayers and petitions. So we have started our journey into Lent, and in the beginning of Lent Jesus challenges us in this matter of prayer – the “Praying Hands” of Jesus. . But was there some special way in which Jesus held His hands for prayer that it would be good for us to copy? Well, personally I don’t find any indication in the bible of how Jesus held his hands when he prayed, but I would like to suggest that the manner in which he held his hands when he prayed was not all that dissimilar from how we might hold our hands at different times of prayer. When Jesus was offering prayers of adoration and worship to his heavenly father perhaps he would hold his hands as we might - palms upward, indicating an open act of surrender to a loving Father. When Jesus agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane and at other times when a heavy load was upon him, perhaps Jesus hands would assume the same position as ours might when we agonise over our own sins , or our deep needs for ourselves and others– grasped together as if taking hold upon the hands of the only one who can save and rescue us. And then there were the times, for example, when Jesus’ disciples returned to him from their mission journeys, full of praise and joy at what God had done. I can imagine Jesus praying – as I do sometimes – with hands lightly placed together in an attitude of deep joy and thanksgiving for the graciousness and goodness and presence of God. I guess, in the end, it doesn’t really matter how Jesus held his hands when he prayed! The important lesson for us, is that Jesus prayed, and he invites us into the privilege of drawing closer to him, and this we do when we pray. |
