“Hand of God”
This is a painting my son Zack did of his hand. It means more to me than everything in the Louvre. The hand is a universal metaphor with a load of applications to life.
This hand symbolizes God as Creator of the Cosmos. ‘My hand stretched out the heavens ‘ God created man. ‘Your hands made me’. The first cradle a newborn baby knows is a pair of human hands.
Secondly, it speaks loudly of God’s character. God has unlimited ability. ‘The Lord’s hand is not short’. God can reach down to you to me! He is merciful — more merciful than people. ‘Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for he is merciful’ God’s hand reminds us that He is Just. Every evil deed will come before his court. Every wrong, every omission. ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’
The hand also demonstrates God’s concern for people. ‘All day long My hand is outstretched to people.’ His presence — God can be with us. ‘The hand of the Lord was with him.’ God is purposeful — He can give each person a destiny. ‘My times are in your hands.’ He can be trusted. You can be secure with God. ‘No man is able to pluck you out of my father’s hand.’
More personally, the hand speaks of Christ – the sufferings of the Messiah. ‘T’hey have pierced my hands and my feet.’ It reminds us of the marks of Jesus’ passion. ‘Behold my hands and my feet. He showed them his hands and his feet.’ Sadly, it alludes to the mockery of his kingly authority. ‘They placed a stick in his hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery….’
Finally, the hand reflects where we stand with Jesus Christ. ‘Then there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.’ Each of us is on one side of Jesus or the other. The decision is really in our hands, for the hand is the place where we can test the finished work of Jesus Christ. “‘He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe’”
What about my hand? Yours? We have to reach to him. Feel the puncture wounds in his hands. Sense his suffering. Partake of his heart. Doubt is the first step to faith, a step that God honors.
When I see my son, I embrace him. Sometimes I shake his hand. If there is any irony here, it’s this: I can touch my own son’s hand, and I can touch the hand of God’s Son, too.
Lamar Howell's Weblog 
This is very touching.A few months ago I lost my beloved father to Cancer. One afternoon , as I was taking a nap I had a dream of my father as an angel in the heavens above me.I clearly remember his shining image in the clouds but I was astonished to see how his hand pulled back the clouds so sunbeams can fall on me.Although he was so high above his hand looked so strong.
I miss my dad.
Vivian. So sorry to hear about your loss. I’m glad the poem meant something to you. It is important to me that my poems reach the heart and sufferings common to us all. God bless you!