Rebuilding Zion (These Are the Hands We're Given ...)

August 30, 2016

"For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory."

~Psalm 102:16

At age 2, Zion Harvey lost his hands and feet to a life-threatening infection. Doctors at the Philadelphia Children's Hospital performed the first bilateral pediatric hand transplant in the summer of 2015.

1 Year Later ...

This story made me think of the lyrical refrain from that old Genesis song, "Land of Confusion."

This is the world we live in

(Oh-oh-oh)
And these are the hands we're given

(Oh-oh-oh)
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in

The song is about the fear, chaos, and existential despair of the 1980's Cold War era yet contained a powerful message of humanistic hope. If previous generations have failed to live up to their own ideals (which they have), surely it is the duty of future generations to succeed where their predecessors failed. The sins of the fathers are like vast amounts of toxic waste haphazardly buried in the earth, seeping into the water table, ensuring that that which might have been harvested as good fruit will instead be the vilest poison imaginable.

I think the Philadelphia Children's Hospital chose wisely.

Links:

https://youtu.be/pFyP_R6wPr8

http://www.chop.edu/

http://biblehub.com/psalms/102-16.htm

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