The Hand of Christ

The Hand of Christ - 2008 (Charcoal Pencil)

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life--the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:1-10)

As John relays to us the joy of hearing, seeing, and touching God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, I too rejoice in the times that Christ's Word is truly audible, visible, and tangible in Christ's body, the Church. This charcoal pencil drawing was done in response to a hand of fellowship that I was offered in January of 2008. It was an attempt to bring together the key components of this passage because of the Christ-like nature that I saw in person in the body of Christ.  So, in this drawing, Christ outstretches His hand to walk in the light with him in fellowship with God and one another. He does so with the same hand that took the nails. We can hardly fathom a forgiveness and reconciliation like our God's.