God Reaching Out to Man; Man Reaching Out for God

At the discipleship training I attend on Tuesday nights, this beautiful picture of Michelangelo's painting of "The Creation of Adam", on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, was shown on a large screen. This famous image is God and Adam reaching for each other with their arms outstretched. It took Michelangelo four years, from 1508-1512, to paint the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with a series of frescoes that portrayed several biblical stories.

I was in Rome for the second time in June of this year, and I was no less in awe and wonder when I witnessed the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel again, than I was the first time. Michelangelo was 33 years old when he undauntedly “created” and painted the chapel. Though he had apprenticed with a well-known fresco painter in His youth, his talent was in sculpting (i.e. his David and the Pieta statutes). He was a brilliant sculptor, not known for his painting, but that changed when he was commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel. Can you imagine painting, standing on a scaffold (that he invented) for hours on end with his neck blocked to paint that ceiling? He suffered so much pain during the process. We know that God orchestrated that creativity, and from his works of God, he knew God.

That photo was shown to us to point out God’s finger reaching out to Adam and Adam reaching to God. Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to man. We heard two conversion stories of God reaching out to point the way. The first was about the tax collector, Matthew, and how he was hand-picked by Jesus, who probably pointed his finger at him and said “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9-13). Imagine that experience. Matthew immediately got up and followed Him. He was #7 of the disciples chosen by the Master to be on His elite disciple team! The second conversion we heard about was Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman who was coming to draw water at the well at noon day. This day, at noon, the brilliance of the sun, rather THE SON, was brightest. John said in 4:9, “Jews had no dealings with Samaritans” and being a woman presented another obstacle. Jewish men didn't speak to women in public (John 4:27), But Jesus still reached out to this woman and through His love and tenderness led her to her truth and HIS truth and she became the first evangelist as she spread the word about Jesus. Matthew was touched. The Samaritan woman was touched.

Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to His creation to touch and be touched. In so many conversion encounters Jesus reached out to all, but, particularly to those who were broken, hurting, rejected and the worst of sinners.

I was inspired to write this post when I saw that painting and that depiction of God reaching out to man, and man reaching out to God. Oh, that we would be that man reaching out to our loving and caring God. No situation is too difficult. All it takes is a humble heart; an attitude that we depend on the guidance and strength of God our Father and the saving grace of the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. When Jesus pointed His finger to Matthew and said “Follow me”, Matthew followed. The Samaritan woman responded to that hand reaching out to her.

That hand is outstretched to you and me. May we reach out to Him today. He’s there, able to help us in our time of need. He is our great healer. May we reach out to Jesus and be comforted. May we reach out to Jesus and find rest for our souls. Use this photo of God's hand reaching to you, and visualize you reaching back to Him. God is always there with His arms open wide.

"The Healing Hands"

Day 39 of Photo Inspirations -- The Praying Hands
On my quest for a photo inspiration for each day this year, I do my best to stay in the moment when I'm out and about.  I want to be sure I don't miss those special little messages from God. I was headed to Wal Mart with an intended purpose, but when I looked to my left, there were those enormous "healing hands" at the entrance of Oral Roberts University.  How many times have I passed those skyscraper hands, seen buses of tourists from around the world stopped there to take photos of one of Tulsa's most identifiable landmarks -- and I NEVER took a photo of them myself?   But, this day, my in-the-moment assignment beckoned me to do a U-turn and get out and take a photo of those "big boys".

I became a tourist myself.  I took this photo and I found out that those formidable bronze hands stand 60 feet high and weigh 30 tons.  They are the largest bronze sculpture in the world.  The casting was done in Juarez, Mexico in 1980.

The hands were originally called "The Healing Hands" and they stood in front of the "City of Faith," a medical center dedicated to merging God’s healing streams of prayer and medicine in one place. For many years, patients were able to come to Tulsa to receive care from Christian doctors and nurses. And although the City of Faith closed in 1990 and they were moved to their present location, these bronze hands still remain a strong model of the power of medical science and God’s supernatural healing power working together to bring restoration to people’s bodies and minds.

I love that.  It reminds me of our visit to the Sistine Chapel in Rome and being so inspired by Michelangelo's painting in the ceiling "The Creation of Adam" -- the finger of God touching the finger of man.  God touching man -- man touching God.  God and man merging to accomplish His plans and purposes.  Isn't that what He intended from the beginning -- that we would be His hands on earth -- reaching out and touching our world?   This beautiful "Praying Hands" statute reminded me of His purpose for my own hands -- to type these messages each day to share His love and light, to touch someone who needs a gesture of love -- but most of all --  for my own praying hands to seek Him with my whole heart -- for it is in my seeking,,,..that I find the perfect, tender and loving hands of God.
#PrayingHands #ORU #HisHandsTouching