Mike’s Musings ….

Our Hands Have Handled

   When the apostle John penned his first general epistle, he wrote a phrase that often misses our attention. He wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” (1 John 1:1 emp. mjd) Notice the emboldened and underlined phrase, “and our hands have handled.” The apostles had the honor of touching Jesus, and He them. What a memory to retain! The very hands that blessed children, (Mark 10:16), had taken Jarius’ daughter’s hand as He raised her to life (Luke 8:54), and eventually received the nails that held Him to the cross (John 20:25) are the hands that touched them. As John reflects on his three years with Jesus, he recalls handling this Word of Life (John 1:1-4).

   I have been given several Bibles over the years; mementos from the families of preachers I’ve known and loved. While the content is the same in each one, the texture of those books varies from course to smooth, from pliable to stiff covers. As reflection is made upon the previous owners, it is easy to recall their hands handling “the Word of Life” in that fashion. Some dared not to bend the book, but to open it with great care. Others would bend it into the shape of a small scroll as they held it up to the hearers in great esteem. These had handled the Word of Life with such reverence and diligence as to have their fingerprints pressed into the pages, and its content hidden deep in their hearts that they would not sin against God (cf. Psalm 119:11).

   How often do your hands handle the Word of Life? Did you ever consider the importance of John’s statement and connect it with what we have heard, seen, and handled of the Word of Life? If not, why not? To me, the best Bibles are those that show the wear of constant reading, studying, learning, and obedience. Such a display of the Word of Life is so much more dignified than a Bible that has not been used enough to unstick the pages from each other! Subsequently, I muse on the strengthening of the hands which have used the Word of Life to strengthen their service to King Jesus! Oh, what a precious thought – to know our hands frequently handle aright the word of truth!