Reading: Psalm 41
"He who has pity on the poor, lends to the Lord;
He will pay him back what he has given" (Prov 19:17)
Here's a prayer to make our hands a blessing to others—
"Heavenly Father, open my hands!
"Your hands are always open. Hands of welcome and blessing. You manifested it perfectly when Your Son died with His hands open on the Cross.
"Open my hands, Lord, to give liberally. How can I give a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over if my fists are closed? (Lk 6:38). Help me always remember the words of the Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). You have given us Your own Son and Your eternal Spirit. You have not withheld any good thing from us (Rom 8:32). Let my hands be swift to give and slow to grab. Let my savings be in Heaven! (Mt 6:19,20).
"Lord, open my hands to support those who are weak. Let me be like Hur and Aaron in supporting the weak and feeble brothers (Ex 17:l2). Let me not substitute counsel or suggestions for extending my own hands. I should never break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax (Mt 12:20).
"Open my hands to relieve the suffering and those in pain. Let my hands be the extension of the hands of Jesus as I am a member of His Body on earth today. How He hesitated not to touch a leper though the traditions of His day would not endorse it (Mt 8:1-3)! Help me to lay hands on the sick with faith and compassion (Mk 16:18). Let me die to my prestige which prevents me from touching a suffering man on the street.
"Open my hands, Lord, to help the poor and the needy. Let me never grow tired of helping the poor because You have repeatedly said that the poor will never cease from the land (Dt 15:10,11). I keep on asking and You keep on giving liberally and without reproach (Js 1:5). How then can I rebuke a poor man who asks of me more than once?
"Dear Father, how many sinful things my hands have committed before I committed myself to You! Let me now abound in deeds of compassion. I lay my hands on Your altar. Without You I can do nothing. Help me, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen!"
The only good thing we can do behind one's back is to pat him!
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