<= The Maiden's Prayer. 기도하는 손이 가장 깨끗한 손이요 가장 위대한 손이다. 기도하는 자리가 가장 큰 자리요 가장 높은 자리이다. <= Click these underlined to view the original post..... How true, how true... for praying hands are far far better than clenched hands, and any other form of hands that mortals have displayed. We pray simply because we realized that we are finite creatures unable to control the situations we were in thus going to the supernatural powers for help in improving the situations we were in. Throughout human history, there have been many many praying hands pointing to many many different deities, or supernatural powers. Some point their praying hands to mountains as one can see at this link.... some even point their praying hands to winds, sun, or even trees expecting spirits in them somehow would help them out. More sophiscate people make gold plated idols and then point their praying hands to such idols of statues, which are nothing but created things or man made stuffs (and don't we see them amongst so called Christians who bow to men erected statutes...?) Anyhow, I believe, the painter of this praying hands was moved greatly, not simply by the reverence of praying hands of his friend, but in the object of his worship of the One who created all things, and then commanded mankind to come to him after paying so great a ransom, His only begotten Son, to redeem sinners such as he and his friend..... Here are a few verses the Almighty Creator of all things wrote about the idols, moving the pen of His prophet, Isaiah. "They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it].He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it]: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?" Isaiah 44:9-19 Knowing full well how puny the mental capacity mankind has, and how volatile or fickle our senses are to rely on, God advised mankind to trust His Word for guidance forsaking their own ways. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6. "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 May God's Word be the lamp and guide for us all... "Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105. P.S. Thanks 海松 for posting this article which helped me to muse on prayer.... P.P.S. According to Wikipedia, our painter Albrecht Durer, who drew The Praying Hands, was highly sympathetic toward reformation movement by Luther, etc. (of which line of faith I adhere to)."It is clear from his writings that Dürer was highly sympathetic to Martin Luther, and he may have been influential in the City Council declaring for Luther in 1525. However, he died before religious divisions had hardened into different churches, and may well have regarded himself as a reform-minded Catholic to the end." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer
How true, how true... for praying hands are far far better than clenched hands, and any other form of hands that mortals have displayed.
We pray simply because we realized that we are finite creatures unable to control the situations we were in thus going to the supernatural powers for help in improving the situations we were in.
Throughout human history, there have been many many praying hands pointing to many many different deities, or supernatural powers. Some point their praying hands to mountains as one can see at this link.... some even point their praying hands to winds, sun, or even trees expecting spirits in them somehow would help them out. More sophiscate people make gold plated idols and then point their praying hands to such idols of statues, which are nothing but created things or man made stuffs (and don't we see them amongst so called Christians who bow to men erected statutes...?)
Anyhow, I believe, the painter of this praying hands was moved greatly, not simply by the reverence of praying hands of his friend, but in the object of his worship of the One who created all things, and then commanded mankind to come to him after paying so great a ransom, His only begotten Son, to redeem sinners such as he and his friend.....
Here are a few verses the Almighty Creator of all things wrote about the idols, moving the pen of His prophet, Isaiah.
"They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing?
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together.
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it].
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god.
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand.
And none considereth in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it]: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?" Isaiah 44:9-19
Knowing full well how puny the mental capacity mankind has, and how volatile or fickle our senses are to rely on, God advised mankind to trust His Word for guidance forsaking their own ways.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.
"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17
May God's Word be the lamp and guide for us all...
"Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105.
P.S. Thanks 海松 for posting this article which helped me to muse on prayer....
P.P.S. According to Wikipedia, our painter Albrecht Durer, who drew The Praying Hands, was highly sympathetic toward reformation movement by Luther, etc. (of which line of faith I adhere to)."It is clear from his writings that Dürer was highly sympathetic to Martin Luther, and he may have been influential in the City Council declaring for Luther in 1525. However, he died before religious divisions had hardened into different churches, and may well have regarded himself as a reform-minded Catholic to the end." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer