The Two Hands of Christ

In Daily Devotional by Donald McKim

Theme of the Week: Following Jesus

Bible Verse: “When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.” Matthew 19:22 CSB

Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:16-26

One of our beloved hymns is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” In one of the stanzas, we sing: “Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?” Friendship with Jesus is a precious gift. We know Jesus Christ as a person, as our friend. He is a real presence in our lives. We are united with Jesus by faith, and by faith, we experience the presence of Christ in real and meaningful ways.

T. W. Manson has shown us the two hands of Christ. One points the way; the other helps us along the way. This is exactly what we need in our Christian lives, isn’t it? We need to know the way, the path, the direction to follow in life. Jesus is “the way” (John 14:6), and he points his way to us. He invites us to follow his way, with him. We also need Jesus’ help along our way. This is a great comfort in our friendship with Jesus.

He is faithful to us, he shares our sorrow, he picks us up when we fall, he is with us always (Matthew 28:20). If we had this assurance from any other friend, we might hope for the best. Others can disappoint us, leave us to face difficulties on our own, and even abandon us. But not Jesus. He is joined with us and is our true guide and friend.

Reflection: The following of Christ, therefore, is not a privilege of the group of disciples…Being a disciple… is a special task, a special destiny, a special promise; a special opportunity which is missed by the young man whose riches prevent him from following Jesus. —Hans Küng1

Action Step: Contemplate what possessions you have that might be hindering you from fuller service to Christ. Decide whether you can let go of some of these.

Taken from Living into Lent, Donald McKim, ©2013 Witherspoon Press. Used by Permission of Westminster John Knox Press.

1 Hans Küng, On Being a Christian, trans. Edward Quinn (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1976), p. 281.

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About
Donald McKim
Donald K. McKim served as executive editor for Westminster John Knox Press, as academic dean and professor of theology at Memphis Theological Seminary, and as professor of theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of more than thirty books.
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Donald McKim
Donald K. McKim served as executive editor for Westminster John Knox Press, as academic dean and professor of theology at Memphis Theological Seminary, and as professor of theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of more than thirty books.