THE POWER OF HOLDING HANDS

Can you believe how much power there is in holding hands...in personal touch? I'm truly amazed at how touching people can change everything in your life and sometimes even in their lives. Many of you are going through horrible and dramatic times in your life as this is being written. You have lost someone close, you have a fear which is gripping your heart, a job is now gone and you are sick without anyone knowing.  Some of you have family members or friends in crisis and you are wondering what can you do and I believe the answer is....touch them.

I truly believe touching takes the God power inside which we possess by knowing Christ and it can be transferred through touching someone else physically. This does not mean touching by "touching base" in a text or email. This is not about touching someone by an emotional phone call or some digital transfer, this is about the true power of touch through your hands.  The power of holding hands can be an incredible experience under the right circumstances in the right motive.  Why is this so important?  I don't know the answer, but I want to focus on this subject for a moment to illuminate a truth.

Thank you first for allowing me to share a personal testimony for a bit revealing the power of just hands. When in the middle of our family's crisis, being found to be handicapped unable to walk without stumbling from the strokes which had been suffered, two awesome people of prayer came to our home touched my neck, brain and my hands with a healing power I will never forget. Through this physical exchange, prayers and the Word of God, true and lasting healing was experienced in my life. A personal testimony of God's goodness came because of a transfer of a physical touch combined with God's perfect timing. What if they had not come, held my hands and believed? I would still be in a chair. 

This does not mean when you touch someone there is immediate healing in your life or anything physical will change, but it does mean change WILL take place. God is on His throne and no matter what you are facing, I believe when you touch someone God has a plan in this. The danger is not believing in the power of touch and not acting in faith so you remain in a compromised condition.  Wouldn't it be worth it, to just try, to believe and walk in faith? I think so.

Jesus knew the power of touch and so many times was called in His ministry to use the power of touch to raise the dead, heal the sick, transform the leper's body and more. He knew even when a woman reached out to Him when he was walking in a crowd by saying, "WHO TOUCHED ME?" Yet it was his garment and the belief of a woman whose faith completely healed her. Touch can happen coming from different people at different times. 

When my mother lived the last day of her life a few days ago on March 12, 2015 I arrived at the Hospice Hospital at around 6 am after a call from my Dad about 5:15 am. He knew I was an early riser and so we connected. Having the early morning shift always gave others a chance to go home and sleep, plus the private time with Mother was special for me because there would be no visitors. This day was different because it was now regulated to visitation for immediate family only. Upon arriving and helping Dad get to the car, I just wanted to hold my mother's hand so nestling next to her bed, reaching to feel the warmth of her hand in my hand gave me comfort. Six hours later my "shift" was up and how thankful it was to have felt her hand in mine for this time.  She had been in the same state for six days. I was so thankful my sister, both of my sons and Terri had gone up to be with my father for the next shift. 

Did you know Michael found IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL and played it on the IPAD and they saw a glisten of a tear in her eye as she breathed her last breath. What a beautiful way to transfer to a heavenly home, having a gathering of a few loved ones close by. Pastors, dear friends and relatives were so very near in the coming minutes to pray, to consider the life which had been lived so well by this saint.  Through everything, our mother had  went to be with Him and this morning would be one of the most powerful mornings of my existence. 


What I remember most, was the feeling of her hands.  Even in the last hours, the warmth, the transfer of power, the gentleness and the goodness of our mother's hand are forever embedded into fond memories. Memories which will last forever until the day comes when face to face, hand in hand we will all walk again in a new way, through a new path, in a new place we have been promised together as a family.

Christ used His hands to build things because he grew up as a carpenter. He made things, created things, was a helper, prepared food, worked with his mother in their home and later used the same hands to share His power with the world. He gave his hands to his brothers, He extended hands to the fishermen, He shared hands with the disciples He recruited and then finally He willingly opened His hands for the nails to be driven in so others would be able to follow  Him, in a sacrifice so unimaginable only God could have orchestrated this phonemail bridge of hope.

Even when Thomas did not believe He was risen, He used hands reached out to say, "Feel them Thomas and know it was all true and I am alive.".  Think about the power of His hands...even in yours right now. 

He reminds us that He is standing here, using His hands to knock on our heart's doorway and wants an invitation to come in to our lives. He welcomes us openly with hands of love to guide us to His heavenly home. His hands are the only thing which in Heaven are imperfect, because they bear the mark of the very presence of what would be sin, which is now blotted out in His perfect world. The sin is gone in Heaven and only beauty exists and these same hands welcomed my Mom's  home-going just three days ago can bring hope to darkness.  Our mark may represent the holes in His hands, but they are met with joy. 

There is power in holding hands. Hold hands with those you love, this in need and are hurting. Reach out to those in despair with your hands and stop thinking about yourself, but others with your lives. Its so each to make every decision based on what you want, what you believe you need and why you are so important. Its easy to think of ourselves too highly and feel we are owed something "inside of our hands". Join me in focusing on His hands and use yours to transfer His power to others. 

When we were little, our hands were built to "take" as they reached out wanting...asking...receiving. God knew these hands would need to be surrendered, they would need to give instead of take and they held power in them to heal, to do things with His hands which could change the world. This power always came from Him, we just forget He gave this to us so because we get distracted or busy. Let His hands change your hands today. No matter what kind of pain you are in, (I am in a lot of pain from our family's loss), I can tell you that His hands are reaching out, hands of grace, of power and love.

May the Lord touch your life with love so powerfully, you will FEEL the strength of His hope. The nail scarred hands won't ever have to feel that kind of pain again, because the battle is won and there is victory, even when you don't see it in front of you.  Give yourself a coupon if you are hurting to feel the pain and remember, His hands know every single pain you know and more and He loves you so much, He gave Himself for you. 

Holding Your Hand Now

Kevin McAfee
Founder