The Hand of God

Last week my fearless co-worker went to a Mission at a local parish given by her cousin.

She came back and told me all about it. The one part that has "stuck" with me for the past week has to do with this picture drawn by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He gave another "spin" on the painting and really gives you lots to think about.

See how God is stretching out His arm to touch the finger of Adam? Look at the two arms. God is reaching with all His might....the muscles on His arm are taught with the effort of reaching out.

And Adam is just kind of reclining with a half-hearted effort to touch the finger of God.

Now maybe that isn't what Michelangelo wanted to represent but it's a good image to meditate on during the closing part of the Lenten season.

How often in our lives is God reaching out to us with His WHOLE STRENGTH. Wanting to help us. Wanting to spend time with us. Doing EVERYTHING in His power to touch us. And we just sort of kind of reach out saying "okay but I don't want to put much effort in this."

Now yes all God wants from us is to turn to Him just a little bit and He'll "whoosh" right in....but how much more powerful it would be if we would turn to Him with everything in our being and give our all to Him.

A challenge for the last week of Lent and Holy Week: what's one area in your life where you know in your heart that God is reaching out to you with His whole strength trying to do ANYTHING He can to get you to listen to Him.....and now turn to Him with YOUR whole strength. And see what happens.