See My Hands

Pat & I spelling "Love."

      Jesus may have been crucified and His body buried in a tomb, but, here is the  important part - He didn’t stay there.  Jesus rose from the grave.  Shortly after, He appeared to His disciples.

    Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"    But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
    A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."  Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"  Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."   ~John 20:24-29

       Jesus ever so gently restored Thomas.   “Put your finger here, see my hands.”
      “See my hands.”  Thomas had most recently seen those hands pierced by cruel nails at the crucifixion.  He had also seen those same hands cause the blind to see, raise the dead, tenderly bless a child, comfort the grieving, break bread, and wash his own dirty feet.
      Jesus used those nail scared hands to express His great love for us.  Cuts on the palm of your hand ensure that no matter how busy you are, you will notice and pay attention to them.  Every small amount of pressure reminds you that they are there.
     Jesus told Thomas, “See my hands.”
     In Isaiah 49:16, God the Father also said “See my hands,”   He said, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."   The word translated "engraved" means to cut.  God has cut us into his hands.  He can not forget us.  We are His.  He redeemed us with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.
     To Thomas, Jesus said "Put your finger here, see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe!
     In the same way, our heavenly Father is reaching out to us, saying, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; I cannot forget you, I have redeemed you... stop doubting and believe!”