Living in the Garden of Grace: The Arms of Jesus
Reflections on David Kuykendall’s Living in the Garden of Grace
The Tender Arms of Jesus
“And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:16).
Picture this scene: Jesus, the Creator of all, taking little children into His arms, blessing them with His touch. What love and acceptance those children must have felt in His embrace! For their parents, this was surely a moment of joy and peace, knowing their children were safe in the arms of the Savior.
The Longing for Love and Acceptance
Every heart, whether young or old, longs for the assurance of being loved and accepted. Many children grow up with this security, but some do not. Others lose it along the way due to life’s hurts and disappointments. The need for unconditional love remains, however, and the arms of Jesus are still extended today.
The Lord’s Arms in Our Bodies
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:13 reveal a beautiful truth about the believer:
“Now the body is … for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
Our physical bodies are for the Lord’s purposes, and He desires to work through us. When we surrender to His indwelling life, our arms become His arms, reaching out to a world in need.
The familiar saying, “God has no hands but our hands,” can be expanded to include this reality: God has no arms but our arms. As we live by grace, Jesus can use us to extend His love, comfort, and acceptance to others—just as He embraced those children so long ago.
Hugging a Hurting World
Jesus’ desire to love and bless others has not changed. He still wants to take the hurting, the rejected, and the overlooked into His arms. And He does this through us, His body. When we live out the exchanged life, yielding ourselves fully to Him, He works through us in tangible ways.
A simple hug, a kind touch, or an encouraging gesture can convey the love of Christ to those who need it most. For those moments, our arms become His arms.
Practical Ways to Be His Arms
Be Available
Look for opportunities to share a comforting embrace, a handshake, or a pat on the shoulder. These small gestures can have profound impact.Live Out the New-Creation Life
As we rest in Christ and allow Him to express His life through us, our actions will naturally reflect His love and compassion.Extend His Love to the Hurting
Children, the lonely, the grieving, and the marginalized often long for the touch of acceptance. Ask the Lord to lead you to those who need His arms today.
Prayer
“Lord Jesus, thank You for the picture of Your arms wrapped around the little children, blessing them with love and acceptance. I long to be used as Your arms, to bring Your touch to those who need to know they are loved. Please express Your life through me today, that others might experience Your embrace. Amen.”
A Final Thought
When Jesus uses our arms, the world feels His love. As we live out the life of grace, He can satisfy His desire to embrace the hurting, the lonely, and the lost. Let us offer our bodies to Him daily, knowing that He can work through us to share His eternal, unconditional love.
As believers, we are His arms—arms that hug, comfort, and bless. May we walk in His grace, ready to share His embrace with the world.