musings on daughtership (part i): open up your hands.

when a baby is born, one of the first things she does is grab. we all know it, and we all love it--that feeling when a newborn wraps her hands around your finger and squeezes. her tiny handprint (and tinier fingerprints) leave their first impressions. waking or sleeping, she’s wired to take hold of something bigger, and to hold tight when she finds it. the encounter is so basic, just a simple squeeze. but it’s a simple squeeze that stirs my heart--and i would reckon it stirs yours, too.

as she grows, this sweet girl keeps reaching out. her hands grow stronger. she’s exploring, searching, developing. and everything needs to be touched. the shiny necklace, the food in front of her, her brother’s hair, her sister’s doll... before long, she’s learned to grab. to snatch. to hold on tighter to the objects before her... and to climb.

years pass, and her hands become full. she learns to carry load upon load. she holds on to future expectations and present provisions. she grasps relationships and past experiences. her grasp is stronger, but sometimes fails her. and still, she doesn’t let go. excess loads are piled on her back or set upon her head. she walks slowly, like a performer, a human balancing act. her gaze is set forward, yet her focus is sometimes lost...

and in those moments, the Father simply calls out:

return to Me. set it all down. stop. reach for My finger. and hold on.

dear daughter, your hands were made to go into Mine.
I created them that you may explore, feel, create.
I created them that you may play, write, praise.
I created them for worship, as I created you for worship...

but you cannot clap with hands that are full,
nor can you take My hand in a dance,
nor can you take the bite of Bread I offer,
nor take a sip of the Wine I give...

but the moment you set all else down,
the moment you relinquish ownership,
the moment you open your hands before Me

I will place in your hand My own,
I will dote you with Gifts beyond your imagination,
I will pull you into a deeper embrace,
I will dip you in a dance,
I will feed you,
I will quench your thirst with the Fountain of Life,
I will guide you,
I will heal you,
I will hold you near to My chest so that you can
feel the rise and the fall of My breath,
so that you can
hear My very heartbeat.

simply let go of all else, and receive from My abundance.
as the sweet child you are-- reach out, hold tight.
receive and take hold of your First Love.