Hold out your hands

Ann Jahns

My dad was an amazing gift giver. Oh, the joy I’d feel when he would return from a trip and say the magic words: “Close your eyes and hold out your hands!” I’d screw my eyes shut and squirm in anticipation, palms open, ready to receive his small token of love. I knew it would be a gift I would treasure. 

But as adults, sometimes we’re afraid to close our eyes trustingly and hold out our hands, aren’t we? We’re afraid of being vulnerable, afraid of what might be placed there. Maybe someone has hurt us, and we’re wary of getting burned. Maybe we had a father who never gave us a good gift, or maybe we never even knew a father’s love. Maybe we had a mother who withheld her affection, or maybe we even had another adult in our lives who hurt us in ways we don’t want to speak about. 

But God our heavenly Father won’t hurt us. He invites us to close our eyes and hold out our hands, palms open, to receive his good gifts. In fact, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

Even those who love us most will hurt us sometimes. In a beautiful contrast, we never have to worry about how God feels about us. He will never withdraw his gifts of love and forgiveness and eternal life. Go ahead—hold out your hands, unafraid, and receive God’s good gifts.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org