“He will keep to the end, He’s your dearest friend.” Truer words were never spoken.

We’re still jumping back in time to around 1993 and are perusing the music from a project that Randy (my brother) and I did in our neighbor’s garage with just a recorder, microphones and Randy’s guitar. The hymn, “The Nail-Scarred Hand,” is my absolute favorite. Here’s the story on the hymn (click the song titles to hear them):

The Nail-Scarred Hand

“The radiant and gentle life of B. B. McKinney exemplified his Christianity as he lived and walked among men. As one of our foremost and very meaningful song writers and singers, he was always so modest, never wanting any credit for his ability, but just ever trying to use the talent God had given him” (Wordwise Hymns, p. 50).
As to the origin of the present song, Mr. McKinney was teaching at Southwestern Seminary at the time, and came to Allen, Texas (fifty miles from Fort Worth) for a Sunday School Conference. In an evening session the speaker gave a strong evangelistic appeal, urging his listeners, “Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. B. B. McKinney says he was gripped by the words, and jotted them down.
He had planned to head back to Fort Worth after that evening session, but was prevented from doing so by a severe storm. He stayed overnight in a home, and the storm raged on, even endangering the little town. The musician wrote the song during the storm, and sang it at the conference the next day.

The Nail-Scarred Hand

1 Have you failed in your plan of your storm-tossed life?
Place you hand in the nail-scarred hand;
Are you weary and worn from its toil and strife?
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand.

Chorus: Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand,
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand;
He will keep to the end, He’s your dearest friend,
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand.

2 Are you walking alone through the shadows dim?
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand;
Christ will comfort your heart, put your trust in Him,
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. [Chorus]

3 Would you follow the will of the risen Lord?
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand;
Would you live in the light of His blessed Word?
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. [Chorus]

4 Is your soul burdened down with its load of sin?
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand;
Throw your heart open wide, let the Savior in,
Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. [Chorus]

We all must come to a place where we realize that we need Jesus. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). He didn’t cause this world to bring us to our knees, but He knew that it would and He meets us there. In fact, the place where we kneel down is at the foot of the cross, Jesus’ cross. Just hours before He hung on that cross, here’s what He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace” (John 16:33a). Jesus wants us to have peace. That peace comes when we surrender our lives to Him and place our hand in His nail-scarred hand.

Abba, You love us so much! Thank You, Jesus, for demonstrating that love on the cross. We sing, “Hallelujah!” for the empty tomb! You have forgiven us; You have freed us–if we will only come to You and receive the new life that You have for us. It’s a one-time thing (our position in Him), but it’s also a daily thing (our relationship with Him). Help us to trust You every step of the way. Amen.