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Praying Hands
By Felix | May 18, 2008
After reading this story, i felt there was no better way to start the week. And for everyone who took part in the jokes competition on the previous post, we are still yet to decide the winner as the jokes are all too very good, but you can check my comment there, to see how we decide.
Enjoy…
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder’s children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht’s etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht’s triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you.”
All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, “No …no …no …no.”
Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, “No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look … look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother …
for me it is too late.”
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer’s works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother’s abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands,” but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love “The Praying Hands.”
The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one - no one - - ever makes it alone!
~Source Unknown~
Even though the story is fiction,
I hope the intent of the story is appreciated,
whether true or not.
Topics: motivation |
May 18th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Felix that was a beautiful and very touching story and one i will never forget.. Thank you for sharing it.. you are the shit u know xxx luv u plenty xxx hope your weekend is going great.. latta
May 18th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Felix tnks for this beautiful piece,
2 me the HANDS symbolizes the need for US to ve a personal commitment and relationship with God.” and when they are clasped together and held before the heart; it is a sign of submission and sincerity.
In all we do, we should know that prayer is the master key to our problems. Even if is delayed or not answered the way we want it 2 be answered, be rest assured that God WILL always give us what he knows is best for US.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:07 am
great piece,keep it comming
May 19th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
NOTICE 4things the Apostles did when they were threatened by the authorities for doing the will of GOD.
(1)They brought GOD into the picture.’Lord,behold their threatenings’(Acts 4:29).Prayer is the door through which God enters our situation,but first you have to invite him in.
2)They prayed for greater faith.’LORD…grant unto thy servants.. boldness’(Acts 4.29)it’s unrealistic 2 expect that all ur questions will be answered n all ur fears disappear. Fear n Fiath will always be at workin ur life.If u want 2 be an over-comer,learn 2 starve ur fear and feed ur faith(Romans 10:17).
3)They excpected GOD to intervene.’Stretch out ur hand’(Acts 4:30) n call on him n he will come knockin on ur door.
4)They were filled with the Holy Spirit(Acts 4:31) There’s the key;they stayed energised and directed by the Spirit of GOD..
So go to THE LORD OF HOSTS today,ask him to tell u what u’re worth.He will say,’You are precious 2 me. You are honoured N I LOVE YOU.’That’s GOD’s opinion;BE SMART N MAKE IT YOUR’s…
May 19th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Lovely article!! nice one MA BRO!!KIP ‘EM ROLLING!! STAYBLESSED N KIP IT REAL…
Xxx NUFF!!
May 19th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
It is an exciting story that touch my heart am very happy that I didnt miss it and Yes its true that no one can ever make it alone but God is the great helper that helps unconditionally popple are just a mere messager sent by God to help who needs help
May 19th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
It is an exciting story that touch my heart am very happy that I did not miss it and Yes its true that no one can ever make it alone but God is the great helper that helps unconditionally people are just a mere massager sent by God to help who needs help
May 19th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
To me the hand is a symbol of a man praying to God and putting his hands together as a sign of respect to God, as you would bow down your head while greeting an elderly person.
May 20th, 2008 at 9:14 am
@Felix: Nice one. It’s good of you to share these powerful stories with us.
@Becks: I just prayed using the bible verses you quoted. Thanks
May 20th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
@Shola:The word of GOD is amazing!! a true beauty it is and an undestructable destiny lies ahead of those who call on the LORD…
Stay blessed!!
May 21st, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Great…The word of God is the best for us all. Do we know how big our God is?
I just listened to a message on “The Instrument of Influence” by Niyi Adesanya.. He blew my mind when He described who God is from the very word of God (i mean the bible)..
Stay connected to Him through your prayers…Love you all
May 21st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
i have a handicap daughter Cerebral Palsy.. and Eplipsy.. for the first 8 yrs of her life she had deadly seizures.. on a medical study at the mayo clinic, on 32 pills a day 4 different medications nothing was stopping these seizures, she was going to die on me.. one night as i layed her down to bed after a day of being in the hospital i said this simple prayer… “Father i am your child also i am tired i need your help, doctors can only do so much, i need your healing hand, you gave her to me let me enjoy her or shes going to die, in Jesus name i pray”… from that next day forward she went seizure free never to have another one.. took her off of all her medications with no withdrawls, its been 11 yrs now and nothing, the mayo clinic took her off the medical study 6 yrs ago closing her case with a PRAYER ANSWERED…. so on that note i believe that until one truly has no where else to turn and has total FAITH in the unknown.. only then will u beable to fully feel and see just how small we are.. God is in total control and will bless n guide those that believe with out seeing..
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:54 am
@Debra Ithank the Good LORD for saving ur daughter..U simply made the rite call @ d rite tym when u invited him into ur situation..i knw how it feels ive expericed similar moments in my life when u jst feel u can’t take in d next breath anymore!!u jst want a simple solution or go back to stone age..All we owe d LORD is our continious gratitude,faith n thanksgiving..
Wat a simple n easy way to redem our debt..
U HANG IN THERE N STAYBLESSED!! N Always remeber he loves you more than u can imagine..
xx1
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
@Becks……. Thank you sweets..xx.. and yes i am truly blessed but the wonderful thing about it is i know where my blessings come from and that alone is a blessing in itself..
May 29th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
NICE KIP IT UP!!