Date: January 25, 2026
Suggested Reading: M atthew 4:18–22; Malachi 3:10
Text: Matthew 4:19
Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Open Hands, Held by Christ
We are not very good at letting go. We like full hands, hands filled with plans, savings, control, and certainty. Open hands can feel risky. Empty hands can feel unsafe. When Jesus walks along the shoreline and calls the disciples, He doesn’t ask them to secure their nets first or calculate the cost. He simply says, “Follow Me.” And they leave their nets behind.
Often we cling to what feels dependable. We trust what we can see, count, and manage. Even our giving to God can become cautious and calculated, shaped more by fear of loss than trust in His promise. When we hold tightly, our hearts often follow.
Yet the Gospel meets us before we ever step forward. Jesus does not wait for perfect trust or generous hearts. He comes to us first. He steps into our darkness and carries every failure, every closed hand, and every fearful heart to the cross. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome Him.
Because Jesus has already given Himself fully for us, our hands are freed. Freed hands learn to open. Freed hearts dare to trust. Even our giving becomes a response, not a test, but an act of confidence in a God who promises to provide, to bless, and to remain faithful.
We are not empty when our hands are open. We are held.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have given Yourself fully for us. Free our hearts from fear, open our hands in trust, and teach us to follow You with confidence. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
Open hands are not a sign of loss, but of trust. Christ has already placed Himself there.
Hymn: LSB 688 – “Come, Follow Me,” the Savior Spake
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