Stretch Out Your Hand

"Stretch out your hand.” Luke 6:10

“Stretch out your hand,” Jesus said to the man with a withered right hand, and the hand was restored. I remember another story in the Bible where God said those exact same words to Moses when the Israelites were being pursued by the Egyptians. They were in a panic because they were hemmed in by the all the forces of the Pharaoh’s army and the sea. Moses stretched out his hand and a path opened up through the sea and the Israelites were saved. 

This morning I was listening to Ravi Zacharias on Youtube. He told the story of a man who called him up at his office. This man asked Ravi if he prayed for healing because he was paralyzed from the neck down. He was at a sports event organised by his company, and during a game of baseball, he rammed himself into another player, severing his neck. The doctors said he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Ravi is a great preacher but he is not known to have the gift of healing. Some years later, a woman cornered Ravi. “Do you remember the paralyzed man who called you to ask about healing? He’s my brother. I just want you to know he’s healed.”

Sometimes we are caught between a rock and a hard place. Life can seem hopeless and we can think we are abandoned by God. It may seem too simple, but if we stretch out our hand to God and stay in faith, He will touch us in ways that will amaze us. His answers may not be what we expect but trusting God is the best way to live our life. 

“Fear not! Stand your ground and you will see the victory the Lord will win for you today... The Lord Himself will fight for you; you only have to keep still.” Exodus 14:13-14