With hands held open

She gave me a picture of her hands, her open hands. Then she told me the story.

Her first born son was born with a cleft lip. When he was three months old he had plastic surgery, but the incision began to scar within a matter of weeks. She made continual visits to the hospital to deal with the scaring. Her baby was often sick running fevers for no apparent reason. The effect on my friend was understandable she became an anxious mother.

When her son was ten months old she was reading Psalms 127. She read, "Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward." As she meditated on the truth of these words her eyes were drawn to the preceding verses. "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep." Her heart was convicted and she held her hands open as she relinquish her children to God but that is not the end of the story.

Less than a week latter she was back at the hospital. This time it was because her son had spinal meningitis. She was told that he might not make it through the night. God had prepared her heart and she prayed knowing that she did not have control over the life of her son. Her son lived and my friend learned a deep lesson. She told me how over the years in many situations God taught her to acknowledge that she had no control over people or situations. She learned that with open hands she is to relinquish everything to God.

Ah Sovereign Lord, how I struggle with this! Thank you for giving me friends who teach me by their lives to trust you. Grant me the grace to worship you with hands held open.