Our hands are often used to show kindness, love, and to offer help to others. Holding someone’s hand can signify a special moment of showing tenderness and concern. God does that with us—He holds our hand.
In my novel, Only A Glimpse, holding hands is a regular occurrence. My main female character, Keedryn, struggles with her new boss, Blake. He’s arrogant, heartless, and takes his frustrations out on her. She reminisces about her husband, Sam, who passed away a few years earlier. “He left me too soon. I need him to hold me and reassure me I’m strong enough to deal with my boss.” She also recalls how much she misses those special moments she and her husband shared. “I miss our strolls, how he held my hand in church, and the stability and wisdom he brought into our marriage.”
Special moments of handholding also take place between Keedryn and her friends as they join hands to pray in agreement for God’s will to be done in Blake and Keedryn’s relationship. “She took my hand. ‘Let’s pray and ask God what His plans are. Are you willing to do that?’ ‘Yes,’ I whispered.”
Blake, the main male character in my story, softens toward Keedryn and tries to win her heart. They travel by plane to an out-of-state conference and encounter turbulence. Keedryn does something unexpected. “I reached out for his hand and held tight, which was something normal for me when Sam and I traveled. But Blake? I tried to move my hand, but he put his other hand over the top of mine, grinned, and said, ‘We’ll be fine.’ I managed to yank my hand away on the second try. ‘Sorry.’ His eyes twinkled. ‘I didn’t mind.’”
Blake offers her his hand a few times when they’re walking together, but Keedryn refuses because she doesn’t want a relationship, especially with her boss. She lets her guard down on one occasion and accepts his hand, but soon after, something happens between them. She then struggles to forgive him for the heartache he’s caused. While in the car together, he requests grace. ‘“I understand God gives us second chances, I thought maybe you’d give me one too.’ He offered me his hand again. I hesitated for a moment, then accepted it . . .I turned my gaze onto the road in front of me. I should take my hand back. But did I want to?”
In another scene, Blake touches Keedryn’s hand in a moment of tenderness and compassion and to speak to her with sincerity. ‘“Hurting you was the furthest thing from my mind. Can you forgive me?’ I placed my free hand on top of his and sighed. ‘Yes.’”
Above I’ve shared how holding someone’s hand may offer reassurance, connect people in prayer, bring comfort and security, grow relationships, and express tenderness, compassion, and sincerity.
Although I’m sharing scenes from my book, I hope you’ll notice the correlation here with God’s love for us. He holds our hand too.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Psalm 37:23-24, NLT
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
Psalm 139:9-10, NLT
And when we feel we need more than our hand held—
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.
Psalm 68:19, NLT
Father, thank you for holding my hand. You offer me strength, security, comfort, and so much more. I’m grateful for Your guidance, along with Your tenderness and compassion toward me. May I always remember that You go before me and follow me, and you are always with me. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Photo by Kimi Albertson - Unsplash