Stretch Out Your Hand

This morning, the Lord led me to read Matthew 12:7-13.  Jesus was in the synagogue, and the Jewish leaders were lying in wait to accuse Him, asking if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.  Jesus, fully aware of their intent, exposed their hardened hearts.  There stood in His midst someone in need of healing, someone who needed to be made whole.  So Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand.  This is a big deal, especially in the Jewish culture in Jesus' day.  The man's hand would have been a source of ridicule, shame, and embarrassment, something that he most likely wanted to remain hidden forever.  And Jesus said, "Give it to me."  As the man trusted Jesus, the hand was completely restored.  The accounts never state that Jesus touched the man, so the Jewish leaders could accuse Him of nothing.  But in this, we see an ordinary man with a heart of humility and faith that stepped out toward Jesus and met the heart of the Father.

I don't know about you, but I am in need of restoration and encouragement.  And I want to meet the heart of the Father.  I want to know my heart matters to Him, that He loves me more than anything.  I want to see His Kingdom break through for me and everyone around me.  When I read this story, it brings me hope that He sees me, that He loves me, and that He wants to meet all my needs - physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, relational.  And it also reminds me that I have a part to play.  I must trust Him with all that is broken in me, even the most embarrassing, shameful things. And when I do, He shows up. In fact this morning as I read the account, Jesus said to me, "Stretch out your hands."  I first held them in front of me and saw something like a holograph of how withered they were.  I then felt compelled to lift them to Him and began to cry.  He spoke of how my hands were withered in a sense, keeping me from writing and working.  And then, He restored them and told me to write about what He had done.  I love when He renews me and gives me eyes to see.

I have been held back for some time and I haven't known what to do.  I have continued to pray and cry out.  I have continued to ask Him for help and pray with others for guidance, wisdom, breakthrough, etc., etc., etc.  I need help, and it came today...in the form of a Man once broken for you and me that through Him we might be whole again.

My prayer:  May we release all that is withered in and around us to Him, regardless of shame, embarrassment, or any other cost.  And may we truly be free, restored, whole, and well, living in and seeing breakthrough, that we might be the hands, the heart, the feet, and the voice of Jesus, the One who stretched out His hand for us.

Matthew 12:13 (NKJV)
Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.