One of the most endearing expressions of affection, at least in my mind, is to witness two people caring for each other with the outward demonstration of Holding Hands. Whether the interaction is between a child and adult or between a long-time married couple, there is something heartwarming about witnessing this human connection between two individuals. My heart nearly explodes when I feel Benaiah’s little hand reach into mine, and when his voice adds a sweet little “hold you” as we walk along side-by-side, I’m smitten. And a smile crosses my face as I follow behind couples Holding Hands on our trip to the Alps.

To those of us who are categorized as single, never married, we ask that you never stop Holding Hands of those you love. We notice this gesture and see it as a symbol of how God has provided the dedication, resilience, and perseverance necessary to develop a relationship that lasts. I am grateful to all the couples who are unaware that anyone is even watching their actions. It’s amusing for me to capture the sweet gesture of Holding Hands, so, please forgive this intrusion if I snap a photo that may not capture your “best” side because this expression of love begs to be acknowledged for all that is communicated to the world in this little heart-warming gesture.

Because God created us with a desire for human connection, it should not be a surprise that psychology research, even an entire class at the University of Virginia, recognizes that Holding Hands is “one of the most basic and universal forms of affection…humans hold hands for many reasons, but chief among them is the sense of security we get when we are holding someone else’s hand. A sense that we are not alone and that we belong.” From a health and wellness perspective, there are numerous additional advantages to Holding Hands such as a decrease of stress, a boost in oxytocin, a strengthening of bonds, a soothing of anxiety, and reducing blood pressure. Any of these provide sound reasoning for clasping the hand of someone you hold dear!

But I also want to add that when you are Holding Hands with someone you love, when you entwine your fingers with another person, you are making a choice to not hold onto something else. It is this concept of Holding Hands that Wendy Pope addresses in Yes, No, and Maybe that she found to be a challenge in her walk with the Lord. A part of her desired to draw closer to Him, but another part still yearned to be accepted by others. “To enjoy the blessings of following God without giving up the pleasures of world. But we can’t have the world and the ways of God. It’s impossible to hold hands with the world and the hand of God at the same time. To live with the God of immeasurably more, we have to release our grip on the things of this world.”

Perhaps I am alone in this struggle, but I find myself, too often, enjoying Holding Hands with the things of this world, but when I make this choice, my clenched fists do not allow the presence of God to be fully realized. I’m too busy holding onto something that will not fulfill the desires of my heart the way He can. Regardless of the idols we hold clenched firmly in our grasp, there is Someone asking us to let go so that He can hold us securely in His hands. Just as I admire couples who still choose to engage in Holding Hands with their spouses, I also appreciate those who allow the God of the universe to hold their hand; guiding them to immeasurably more, to a flourishing life filled with meaning and purpose.

So, to those couples I caught Holding Hands as we navigated our tour, thank you for bringing a little bit of delight to my life, but more importantly, my gratitude extends even deeper as you demonstrate, in a worldly way, the love our Savior has for us and His desire to hold our hand daily on this journey we call life.

References:

Pope, W. (2018). Yes, no, and maybe: Living with the God of immeasurably more. David C. Cook. 

Relish. (2020). 10 surprising benefits of holding hands with a loved one. Retrieved from https://hellorelish.com/articles/holding-hands.html