Last week  as I was driving to a doctor’s appointment, I was listening to a Gospel station on the radio. About half way to my destination a gospel group, whose name I never did catch, began singing “The Unseen Hand.” They were singing it a cappella. It is truly a compelling song that causes one to prayerfully reflect upon the truth contained within its composition. It has always been a favorite of mine. As they sang, they did so with such deep conviction, with such inspiring accord, that as I drove down the road my soul was stirred, my spirit worshiped, my heart became full, and my eyes became moist.

When one meditates on the words penned by A.J. Simms one can’t help but bow in awe before our awesome Lord whose unseen hand has no doubt, unbeknownst to us, powerfully and lovingly moved in our lives many, many times. The first verse says, “There is an unseen hand to me; that leads through ways I cannot see; while going through this world of woe; this hand still leads me as I go.” What powerful, thought provoking words!

I have often pondered how many times that Unseen Hand has kept me from danger, protected me from some peril, has abruptly closed a door of service so He can open another, removed me from a situation that would have been detrimental to me knowing His presence more fully, or put a roadblock in my pathway that would have taken me off course from His best will in my life. I have often paused to contemplate how many times I with frustration cannot find my car keys that Unseen Hand was guarding me from some mishap that had awaited me down the road.

As I look back on my life there are definite times I have sensed and known without any shadow of a doubt that the Unseen Hand had intervened in my life to overrule in my situations, circumstances, and my state of affairs to guide me, protect me, and lead me. As the second verse confidently states, “This hand has led through shadows drear; and while it leads I have no fear.” It is good to be reminded of that!

Oh, His faithful hand, that constantly works and moves in our lives, should cause us to pause and worship Him. During the past year, through my journey with prostate cancer, there is no way I can explain the many “unexplained” occurrences that led me to the right doctors, the right people who I just “happened” to run into who had gone through the same experience, people who spoke the “right” words of encouragement who had no idea what I was going through, the Bible opening up to the “right” verses needed when I randomly opened the inspired Word, and the list goes on and on.

As only the “Unseen Hand” can orchestrate, all has seemed to fall in place over the last year better than if I had sat down and planned how I wanted it to turn out. Some would say, “You were just lucky. That was just a bunch of coincidences that all worked out like it has.” I prefer to say, “Praise His holy name for His Unseen Hand!” As the song proclaims on the third verse, “I’ll praise Him for His guiding hand.”

Could we not all give examples and multiply incidents how the Unseen Hand has been present in our lives? Matter of fact, we would marvel and worship in awe if we could pull back that invisible curtain that separates earth from eternity to see how many times His gracious Hand has reached into our lives with His grace-filled aid. I lift my voice in harmonious exhalation with all who with assurance and conviction have fervently sung the chorus to “The Unseen Hand”

I’m trusting to, the unseen hand,
That guides me through this weary land
When some sweet day I’ll reach that strand,
Still guided by the unseen hand

Blessings,

Dr. Dan