“They were bewildered.” That describes the Jews when they heard Jesus’ disciples speaking in languages they had not known before. (Acts 2:24) It was a feast day, so the devout Jews would have been fasting that morning in Jerusalem, and perhaps praying and meditating on scriptures, when a loud, gale-force wind caught their attention. Naturally, they ran to check it out. Hearing these twelve disciples, eleven of whom were from Galilee, speaking in foreign languages, was certainly a mystery. Today it is not unusual to hear immigrants in our country speaking a foreign language. But to hear someone you know is a “local” speaking another tongue would be puzzling. The Bible says they were “bewildered,” and this caught my attention.
God used the Holy Spirit, which moments before, accompanied by the violent wind, had spread like flames of fire to each of the disciples (Acts 2:2-3) to arouse the curiosity of these Jews who had migrated to Jerusalem from a number of other countries. Peter stepped forward as the spokesman to explain what was going on. He put it in the context of the Jewish heritage of the audience: that this pouring out of the Holy Spirit was spoken of long ago by the prophets (Acts 2:16-21, Joel 2:28-32) and Jesus’ death and resurrection was God’s predetermined plan. (Acts 2:23-24) “Then God released Him from the horrors of death and brought Him back to life again, for death could not keep this man within its grip.” (Acts 2:24, The Living Bible)
Speaking of coming back to life, Peter quoted King David as he looked forward in faith to overcoming death and realizing the promised hope of life and the joy of God’s presence: “… Moreover my flesh will also live in hope…You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with your presence.” (Acts 2:26,28) God’s presence – that is the Holy Spirit living in us.
Finally, Peter stated in no uncertain terms that Jesus is “both Lord and Christ.” That’s who the Jews had been waiting for for centuries! So of course this struck them to the heart and they wanted to know what to do next. (Acts 2: 36-37) Peter told them simply, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Many did believe and were baptized. It must have been a size-able crowd that gathered, as 3000 were baptized that day. (Acts 2:41) They spent time learning, sharing meals and fellowship with one another, and praying. And, catch this in Acts 2:43: “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.”
The Jews went from being bewildered, to believing, to being in awe. Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed! Jesus overcame death’s grip and sent the Holy Spirit, resulting in power, unthought-of abilities, bewilderment, effective teaching, miracles, belief, and awe!
“Then God released Him from the horrors of death and brought Him back to life again, for death could not keep this man within its grip.” (Acts 2:24, The Living Bible)
Death could not hold Jesus in its grip. As we get older our grip strength tends to decrease. Opening a jar or gripping an object
Another factor contributing to a weak grip is pain or inflammation in the tendon on the side of the thumb, also known as de Quervain’s. This can make opening a package or taking a pan out of the oven very uncomfortable. Sustained activities such as writing or raking leaves can aggravate the condition. This week I will show you some exercises you can do to strengthen this area. This is not intended as medical advice and you should consult your physician for a diagnosis or if you have questions about which exercises are appropriate for you.
If you have pain in the area, stretching can help. As shown at
right, open your fingers wide, as if trying to get your thumb far away from your hand. During prolonged activities such as writing, playing tennis, or using barbells, take breaks and open your hands. Another stretch that feels good is to bring your thumb across the palm of your hand at the base
of your fingers (shown at left). Your range of motion may be limited by your pain level. Again, ask your physician for an accurate diagnosis and follow his or her instructions.
Once your pain is under control, you may move to strengthening the muscles in that area. Sit with your forearm on a table or desk and your palm facing upward (as shown at right).
Keep your forearm on the table and bend your wrist upward toward you.
This is a “wrist curl.”
To work the muscles on the other side, turn your hand over (palm down)
and raise your hand off the table, shown at left (wrist extension).
Remember to keep your forearm on the table.
Next you can make your hand into a loose fist with your fingernails touching the table but your thumb resting straight. This is your starting position.
Now slightly rotate your wrist so that your thumb is closer to the ceiling (Your fingers will come off of the table a little.), as you can see in the photo at the right. If you have any pain, do not perform this one.
Lastly, you can use a rubber band around your fingers and thumb and try to open your hand against the resistance of the rubber band. (Shown at left.)
Again, stop if you have pain.
A thumb brace is also very helpful to stabilize the thumb while you are doing activities. I wear one while sleeping to prevent my thumb from going into a position that puts too much stress on it. I also discovered that it is extremely helpful to wear the brace while raking leaves (which I think brought this on in the first place). I had one woman in my class who wore her brace while doing water aerobics. The lifetime of the brace was shortened from being in the pool, but she was able to enjoy exercising without aggravating her thumb.
These are certainly exercises you can do anywhere. You may do these each day. Perform eight to twelve repetitions for each exercise, as long as it does not aggravate your thumb. Don’t forget to do your other hand. Over time, you will notice strength in your grip. Then it will be easier to open a jar, hold a magazine, or sign your name!
Photo credits: thinveil.net (Creative Commons); L.E. Lang collection
No comments:
Post a Comment