"What is that in your hand?" God asked of Moses as God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 4:2). God asks us the same question today. And God will ask us the same question at Judgment Day: "What is that in your hand?"

In some churches today there has developed the terribly annoying custom of someone interrupting worship or a concert and hollering, "Let's give Jesus a hand," causing everyone to erupt into applause. While this type of enthusiasm is certainly a welcome sign of life (especially in some of our churches!), it is also a sign of short-circuited theology.

Jesus doesn't need our hands slapping together in applause. Jesus needs our hands slapping together in work and witness. From Galatians we are urged "do not grow weary in well-doing," (v.9) - a remark that of course…