Devotionals

With An Open Hand

by Anne Adams
06/13/23
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You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.  Ps. 145:16 (NKJV)

With An Open Hand

“Want a cracker?" Kathy asked baby Carrie as she held it out to her plumpish daughter sitting in her high chair. Carrie grinned broadly as she stretched out her hand toward the treat. However, there was a problem – though the thrust out little hand indicted her anticipation it was also clenched into a fist. With a patient smile, and as Carrie squirmed in frustration, Kathy patiently and gently pried open the little fingers, then spread them out and inserted the cracker. With wiggling pleasure Carrie crammed the cracker into her open mouth and gave her mother a crumbly grin. Then stretched out her hand again with another closed fist.

As Kathy realized that it would take time for Carrie to learn the process, once again she opened the baby hand to put in the cracker. But this time with a reminder: “Darling, to get something good, you need an empty hand."

And in a spiritual sense this is something I need to learn and it what frequently happens when God is ready to graciously provide for me me according to his will. However, when that happens I can’t accept what he offers - because my hands are closed.  Closed because I don’t want to accept his ideas because I think mine are superior. Indeed, to my way of thinking I have my own perfect plans and they’re better than his!  

Or so it seems. Then when my own ides don’t work out I can only realize that his were far superior and I finally see that my clenched fist was the problem. After all, God's blessings and perfect provision are waiting for those with open hands.