I spread out my hands

This morning I started out in Psalms, and became intrigued--fixated even--on one phrase. Psalm 143:6...

I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

This seems a powerful picture to me. Standing before my God, my soul cracked and battered down like hard and dry soil, arms extended, reaching like a child for my Father.... hoping for the rain of His love to fall upon me and quench me, bring me back to life.

I did a search, keyed in 'I spread out my hands' and this is what came up:

Ezr 9:5 At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.

Ps 88:9 - My eyes are worn out from crying.
Lord, I cry out to You all day long;
I spread out my hands to You.

Ps 143:6 - spread out my hands to You;
I am like parched land before You.

Isa 65:2 - spread out My hands all day long
to a rebellious people
who walk in the wrong path,
following their own thoughts.

Ro 10:21 - But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.

The first few passages speak of our thirst and hunger for God, arms spread as if to beckon the Father, to reach for Him. The next are from God, His arms stretched wide to draw in His beloved, calling them to Himself. And of course Jesus--His arms spread wide to hold the sins of the world and save it--me, you--by His love.

And it is all balm to my soul. I close my eyes and drink it in. A powerful picture of love is before me. A Father and His children, arms reaching in love for one another. Jesus completing the circle. I stay there a while and it is good.

In Him and only Him I put my trust. I reach out for Him and never find emptiness or weapons of deceit that wound--but always truth, faithful instruction, understanding, wisdom, and love that speaks to the deepest place in me.

Today I have spread out my hands and my Father has pulled me into Him.