TAKE MY HAND
The nurse
hands him to his mother. And she
tenderly takes the hand of her newborn, only minutes after the pain of birth has
ceased. And, an unseen bond forms
forever. With a tenacious grip, I take
the hand of my mama, looking around at the lights and the world.
A young
child reaches for his dad’s hand, as he listens to the howls in the night, just
outside their tent. “Daddy, take my
hand…” And, a gentle squeeze relieves
all fears. The little boy rolls over in
his sleeping bag and nods off to sweet dreams.
“Take my
hand, now!” is the demand, as a parent protectively holds the hand of a
youngster. They safely walk through the
dangerous and unfamiliar setting. All is
well.
The two
brothers are growing up so quickly. They
often fight, but are just as quickly over any hard feelings. Next they try to squeeze into submission the
hand of one another. It is a tight
squeeze, but neither will cry “uncle” as they take each other’s hand!
A struggling
teen questions life and meaning. So many
questions! But, a kind soul takes his
hand and pats his back; and he whispers that it will all make sense one
day.
He swims out
to the nearly gone fisherman, and he barks, “take my hand!” The
drowning man desperately clings to the rescuer’s hand, as his only hope.
The two
lovers gently squeeze one another’s hands.
He takes her hand and messages are sent only they can hear. Within their joined hands is contained warmth
that only their souls can sense.
Seeing one
another all too seldom, the old college room-mates clasp their hands. They firmly shake hands as they renew bonds
of camaraderie. It is almost like they
just saw each other yesterday! Sweet
fellowship in a bitter world.
Like two
sparrows in a hurricane, the aging couple struggle through a sea of strangers
in a noisy, crowded store. “Take my
hand” he whispers to her, fearing they might lose one another. She finds security and peace in his grip.
In the
middle of a dark night of his soul, peace comes from the touch of an unseen
hand, squeezing my own, bringing quiet comfort.
And, I pray, “squeeze a little tighter!”
The doctor
walks in and approaches the bedside, telling me, “take my hand; squeeze my hand
if you can hear me…” There is only a
weak response, but it is promising. And,
his family joins hands in prayer.
Grown
children take the hand of an aged parent as he slips away in death. They look at his old, weathered hand, and
remember … and, they listen as he seems to be humming an old hymn, “as I travel
through this pilgrim land … blessed Jesus, take my hand…”
The ferryman
is coming?! I lay there dreaming of the
story of one who jumped out of the boat.
But, Jesus took Peter’s hand as he slipped beneath the waves. Then, I hear a voice, “take my hand” and
wonder, what hand is this that raises me from this dark hole”?! Sweet Jesus!
