"You shall bind them as a sign on your hand"
Deuteronomy 6:8
It was my acquisition from the white-elephant gift exchange. The white porcelain hand with the broken-off finger. From the get-go, I looked at it and saw the possibilities. To my taste, it was too white, too plain, and too lifeless, like a blank canvas, just waiting. I considered how to cover it. Burlap? Meaningful words torn from magazines? Words that spoke of things that I enjoyed or aspired to be? Patterns or pictures? I didn't decide right away. I let my mind mull over the options.
Finally, I set my heart upon my
final choice. I didn't just want this hand to represent fluttering
fancies. I wanted this hand to portray something deeper and more
profound. That's why I settled on scripture. Timeless truth. Ultimate
meaning. The Word of God, not the word of man.
With pages of a worn-out Bible, I tore out portions of scripture, literally binding the commandments of God to the lifeless hand with glue medium. As I worked through the process, I realized that these words were not only meaningful, they spoke of what I aspired to be and to do. The living words of scripture brought pictures to my mind, and through the words I also saw beautiful patterns emerging, patterns of life well-lived when lived in accordance with the teachings of God.
Jesus taught that the greatest command in all the Bible was the commandment to love God with all one's heart, soul and mind. In other words, God wants nothing less than total dedication. This kind of love, sets us apart from the world, making us holy instruments, useful for His purposes.
By doing what pleases Him, we wear His truths on our lives. This is how we bind on God's instructions as signs - on our hands and heads. I discovered as I worked on this project, that I want to look like this hand. I want to be a living letter for people to read. I want the Word of God to be read on me, on my heart and on my hands, by what I think and do and say.....by how I love.
It was my acquisition from the white-elephant gift exchange. The white porcelain hand with the broken-off finger. From the get-go, I looked at it and saw the possibilities. To my taste, it was too white, too plain, and too lifeless, like a blank canvas, just waiting. I considered how to cover it. Burlap? Meaningful words torn from magazines? Words that spoke of things that I enjoyed or aspired to be? Patterns or pictures? I didn't decide right away. I let my mind mull over the options.
Finally, I set my heart upon my
final choice. I didn't just want this hand to represent fluttering
fancies. I wanted this hand to portray something deeper and more
profound. That's why I settled on scripture. Timeless truth. Ultimate
meaning. The Word of God, not the word of man.
With pages of a worn-out Bible, I tore out portions of scripture, literally binding the commandments of God to the lifeless hand with glue medium. As I worked through the process, I realized that these words were not only meaningful, they spoke of what I aspired to be and to do. The living words of scripture brought pictures to my mind, and through the words I also saw beautiful patterns emerging, patterns of life well-lived when lived in accordance with the teachings of God.
Jesus taught that the greatest command in all the Bible was the commandment to love God with all one's heart, soul and mind. In other words, God wants nothing less than total dedication. This kind of love, sets us apart from the world, making us holy instruments, useful for His purposes.
By doing what pleases Him, we wear His truths on our lives. This is how we bind on God's instructions as signs - on our hands and heads. I discovered as I worked on this project, that I want to look like this hand. I want to be a living letter for people to read. I want the Word of God to be read on me, on my heart and on my hands, by what I think and do and say.....by how I love.
His Word is in my heart
.....and on my hand.
Do Not Forget The LORD!
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