Yours Are the Hands of Christ: The Practice of Faith

By James C. Howell

Book Overview

Take spirituality into the real world.

Jesus didn't "become flesh" so we could feel different. He came to this world so we will be different.

Often our spirituality seems invisible and mute to a hurting world. Many of us simply internalize faith out of fear, feelings of inadequacy, or choice. A faithful response to discipleship's call, however, is both inward and outward.

Through Howell's study, you'll find ways to apply faith to your daily life and make evident your commitment to Christ. By considering all that Jesus did with his hands as a teacher, a healer, and a compassionate servant, Howell challenges readers to be the hands and feet and love of Christ in the world.

"Christianity must become something real, tangible, something that pervades all that we are," writes Howell. "It must become something we do. In our culture, for Christianity to have any meaningful future, we must get serious about a genuine lifestyle that is holy without being elitist, engaged with the world without being jaded or self-righteous, active and busy yet prepared to cope with failure."

Howell's inspiration for this work comes from a poetic meditation written by Teresa of Avila, a Spanish nun who lived in the 16th century. The poem begins:

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours."

Howell connects these words with the apostle Paul, who wrote in 1 Corinthians 12: "Now you are the body of Christ."

Express your faith through action. Be the hands of Christ today to a hurting world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B007CZ980Y
• ISBN13: 9780835808675
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Upper Room Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

walk the walk

This book is very much a walk the walk and talk the talk discourse. It is a very easy read but thought-provoking at the same time.

popular with members

One women's study group is using this book. They like it so much, a men's Renovare group and another Sunday School class are both planning on studying it also.

Excellent piece for Meditation and practical application

This is a very beautiful work. James Howell takes us on a brief journey to discover how Christ's Hands are now are Hands, using all that Jesus did with his hands : Heal, Consol, teach, and, yes, die. This work would be a nice accompaniment with other more in depth works for devotional study. This is recommended to anyone regardless of where they are in their Walk with God.

WHO wrote this?

I grew up with James C. Howell. In fact, he's my brother. I read this book and thought - how in the heck did my kid brother write this? I mean, I love my brother and I've always thought he was smart, but ...this book is inspired! It made my hands tingle. It opened my mind as to the limitless things I could do that would be an extension of Jesus.James is non-judgemental. He simply presents what he feels is the love of Jesus through other people in the ways they touch, heal, teach, or feed others. Who are these other people? Mother Teresa, for one - but my dirt poor grandfather is in there, as well as other "plain ole folks" that I've never had the privilege to know.James tells you how to be one of those who make a difference.Now, keep in mind that James is a minister. I would not call myself religious by any stretch, and yet - this book calls out to me in a way that no other ever has - and perhaps, never will.

Little book, powerful impact

This must be a heavenly-inspired book. It's written in such a down-to-earth style for the average ordinary human. Howell tells us the stories of a man who was born 2000 years ago and makes us fall in love with this crazy radical called Jesus. He shows examples from those "saintly" lives like St. Francis and Mother Theresa and Augustine and Martin Luther as well as many, many others who believe 100% that Jesus is the Son of God and how it has transformed their lives. They believe Christ lives within them... and thus their hands do Jesus' work-which is that of loving and taking care of all those around us. In the self-absorbed century we just left, we have very much gotten away from helping our fellow man, haven't we? Howell suggests that perhaps we are just all too full of "stuff and things and material possessions". We need to get involved....to develop hearts that are impassioned for mankind. If you belong to one of those "tight Christian social clubs" where everyone in your church is homogeneous and you emphasize in reach more than out reach, this book is a much-needed wake-up call for you. Read and absorb... We are all mortals who will face that judgment day. How empty-handed are you? "We are put on earth a little space, that we may learn to bear the beams of love"-a thought-provoking quote by Wm Blake. What a perfect read to begin the year 2000.