Hands

 

Rhonda started out the morning greeting all the ladies as they entered the church.  Nita and Shelby helped and greeted everyone as well.  Rhonda brought hand sanitzer, hand cream, emory board and finger nail polish as props for her ladies bible conference.  Our hands say a lot about us and what we do. She shared how we all should want our hands to look like the hands of Jesus.  

 

She first started out with the hand santizer . 

She referenced James 4:8 and had Maida read it to the ladies, 

" Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Our hands are not clean unless our hearts are clean.  I need to reconfess my sins to Christ daily.  As she was sharing this Nita and Shelby put hand santizer on each ladies hands.  The ladies cleaned their hands as Rhonda shared this is only a physical cleaning.  The cleansing of the soul is through Jesus Christ.

 

The next step was the emory board.  Each lady received one of these as Rhonda shared how we need to file down the sins in our lives.  Get rid of everything which is unpleasing unto to the Lord.  Thought is so approiate one lady filing her nails with her bible below her.  God's word teaches us about the sins in our lives and how we need to file them down to nothing.  We need to strengthen our hands and whatever we do, do it with all our might for the Lord. Her scripture reference was  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10

 

 

The next step was passing out construction paper and magic markers to each lady.  Rhonda shared how our hands are hands of compassion, hospitality and hands of mercy.  Rhonda shared how she had observed their generosity and hospitality for her North American team throughout the whole week in El Limonal.  She talked about how hard they work daily for their families and church family as well.  There hands are servant hands.  Hands which reach out and show compassion on one another.  The daily snacks for the workers.  The preparation of lunches for the workers daily.  This is not including their daily chores around their home, washing your clothes and cooking for your own families.  Your hands do so much for others. Rhonda had Nita and Shelby give each lady hand cream to put on their hands as an ointment for healing like in the story of the Good Samaritan.

 

 

Now the fun part.  Each lady got to pick out their favorite color of finger nail polish and paint each other's finger nails.  They were being treated special for one time and it was this special morning.  Hands which are well kept and prepared are hands prepared for prayer.  What does your hands say about you?  Not your physical appearance but your spiritual appearance.  Like the finger nail polish we can be covered in the Holy Spirit as it files away our sins.  Our hands need to represent the love of Jesus Christ it all they do.  Our hands need to hold God's word as we find time during our busy day to read and pray over His Word.  We need to share His love with others by using our hands daily to glorify HIM.  Thank you God for having us here this week in your community where we do see your hands busy at work in so many ways.  To God be the glory.

 

The ladies headed back down the path to the location of the bridge.  They all appeared with freshly painted finger nails and their new treasures.  I did not see Merecedes moving blocks today.  She stood back and watched as the men did the work.  She was very proud of her new and improved hand manicure.  Thank you Rhonda for making this morning so special for all 37 ladies.