Bev Psalm 28: Hands Raised Up

 It began with Moses at a battle long ago

when the Lord said the Israelites would win

if he kept his arms held high.

As he tired, Aaron and Hur came to sustain

him, holding up his arms.

What many did not notice was that

Moses held a rod in his hands.

This rod is the symbol for the word of God.

In our day, Presidents Eyring and Christofferson

Sustain our prophet Dallin H. Oaks

with their words and actions, speaking for

Christ, "for by the mouths of my servants,

it is the same."

My artistic spirit wished to enter a churchwide contest

to illustrate D & C 81:5,  "lift up the hands which

hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

My hands hung down with age and my knees were feeble.

I envisioned little babies arms weak and helpless.

I saw children with deformed arms, feeling hopeless.

I beheld the family whose teenager, killed by accident,

their hands hidden by broken spirits,

arms clasped around each other,

fallen on bended knees, tears falling on a grave.

Finally were the widows, tears past, years gone,

loneliness settled in and solitude descending

upon their world of reduced circumstances.

The Saviour walked the same earthly paths,

one by one He ministered, clasping firmly 

by His hand, pulling them upright from feeble knees;

encircling the one in His arms, 

warmly at His breast, assured them of His love.

The Savior was there in His solitude, bearing the pain

and anguish, grief and sin for all of those

whose hands and arms hung down. 

An angel ministered to Him in that garden,

sustaining Him until it was done, 

when His arms raised up, were nailed upon the cross.

Earthly angels follow His example,

Ministering today, one by one, by phone call,

or visit, bringing the sacrament to the invalid,

texting questions, "How are you doing today?"

Letting the one know they are not alone,

they are loved and cherished children of

a Heavenly Father who loves them and

knows their every need, desiring to bless them.

Solace is found in the words of the prophets, old and new,

and in the loving ministering angels from heaven and earth,

Lifting the arms that hung down

with sacred hands that lift up.