Time for Letting Go

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December 15, 2015
Reflection by Tuesday Rupp

Sometimes I do a hand meditation with my confirmation class. With eyes closed, participants are asked to clench their hands into a fist, imagining that they are holding onto all of their cares, worries, fears and anxieties. After a breath or two, I ask them to open their hands, and offer everything up to God. As their teacher I see hands that were discolored with tension release completely, along with shoulders, necks, and faces. It is powerful to observe how much these young people carry, and the need they have for those burdens to be lifted.

The second part of the exercise invites the participants to imagine that God is offering them a gift, placing it in hands now freed of burdens, opened to receive. Finally, they are asked to press that gift into their hearts.

“The sacrifice acceptable to God is the broken spirit; the broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

What are holding onto tightly today? How would it feel to offer it up to God? What gift could you

imagine God giving to you today, placing them in your open hands and open heart?

“Open my Heart” by Ana Hernandez and Ruth Cunningham.