Open Hands
Stephen Cottrell makes the point that as Jesus holds the scorpion, his hands are in the position we would hold them in communion (p62).
Jesus’ complete communion with the Father’s will, and his making possible of our communion, through him, with God.
As we hold our hands, they are open to receive from God. As we hold them out, God gives us the Bread of Life. What will that Bread of Life look like for us? What will it mean? As we hold out our hands, what are we expecting God to place in them? How will we receive what he gives?
Remember what Jesus went through, that we could receive Bread. How he dealt with the scorpions, that we could receive life. He did for us, that which we could never do for ourselves.
These thoughts are reflecting on Spencer’s painting The Scorpion (seen here at the bottom of the second page).
This year for Lent, I am reading Christ in the Wilderness by Bishop Stephen Cottrell, published by SPCK, reflecting on Stanley Spencer’s paintings of that title.
I’m not necessarily going to blog every day on it, just when something leaps out at me – and they will be thoughts rather than full blog posts
Pam's Perambulation 
thanks again Pam. 🙂
a further thought – when we look at the extent of Jesus’ life for us – arms outstretched, hands and feet pierced with nails, blood streaming from His pierced heart… then, and only then, we realise the full extent of the kenosis, the self-emptying, of god’s love for us. And it is in that moment, when we comprehend the true nature of love, that we hear Jesus ask us, as He asked Peter, “Do you love me?”
There is both longing and challenge in that question…
Very true – I’m working towards that nearer to Easter 🙂
I seem to have reached Easter and resurrection a bit ahead of schedule… 😉
🙂