Praying For Her Hands

What is it about the handprints of our little ones that make us all weepy and sentimental?  We have a rule at our house about saving artwork from church our school.  If it is laminated or a handprint – we save it!  Everything else, well you know the drill. I know that when I see that sweet shape frozen in time,  it stirs my heart and makes me love them all the more!  This week we are praying for her hands.  Here is our focus verse:

1 Thessalonians 4:11

This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. (New Living Translation)

What exactly does it mean to work with your hands in the verse?  In simple terms, Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to be diligent to do the work they were called to do.  As Christians, we are not released from work – quite the contrary we are charged to do everything in word or action as though we are working for the Lord Himself (Colossians 3:17).  The work we do with our hands can and should point people to the fact that we are followers of Jesus.

Now, here is the part where your prayers come into play.  What is THAT special work that the Lord has called your girl to do?  Do you realize that He has gifted her with special abilities and skills that He wants her to use for His glory?  Does she love to color?  Maybe she will be an artist.  Does she have a knack for organization?  Maybe she will use that as she manages her home and family some day.  Does she talk with her hands? {insert smile}  She may just be a teacher or missionary in the making.  As you pray for your daughter’s precious hands, the ones you have held, the ones you have wiped clean a million times, and the ones who made those crafts you can’t throw away, pray that God will begin to show her what work He wants her to do.  Pray that He will help you see the gifts and skills she has, and you will be able to call out that giftedness as well.

Here is another thing I discovered this week while preparing this post.  Proverbs 31  devotes 22 verses to a portrait of a virtuous woman, and of those verses there are 7 references to her hands.  Here are a few more things from this chapter for you to pray for your daughter:

• Her hands work willingly (vs. 13)
• Her hands work purposefully (vs. 16)
• Her hands work diligently (vs. 19)
• Her hands compassionately (vs. 20)
• Her hands bare fruit that rise up and praise her (vs. 31)

And while you are praying for her hands, be sure to take a moment to lift your hands in praise and worship to the One who holds her in His hands all the days of her life.

**The winner of the book Raising a Modern Day Princess is Marina with comment #15! Congratulations and please email us at modsquadconnect(at) gmail(dot)com with your address so we can mail it to you!

Wife to Mike. Mother to 4 vibrant girls. Believer. Communicator. Loves God's Word and connecting with women. Find her on Twitter @stacey29lincoln or at 29lincolnavenue.com

Stacey

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