The Hands of God

In worship on Sunday, I felt the hands of God...

I did a double baptism, of a little boy and a little girl. As I held each of their heads over the font and used my hand to cup the water, I had this feeling that my hands weren't my own. The ELCA's missional slogan is "God's work, our hands." But, sometimes I think it's the other way around-- it's Our Work, God's Hands. That's what I felt on Sunday. I was doing the baptismal rite. I was pouring water over these children's heads, but the hands holding these children were not mine. God's hands were holding them, comforting them with the strength and gentleness of God's loving presence.

After the baptism, it is usual for us to walk the babies around the congregation, to introduce them to their new family in Christ. I took the little girl who was happy in my arms. And when I brought her back to hand off to her father, she clung to me with her tiny little fists. The hands of God, there, wrapped around my shoulder. Something about our time together around the font made her feel comfortable in my arms, such that she held me close with her hands. And I didn't want to let her go, to let go of that feeling.

God's hands, holding our own... What a gift!