Stretch Forth Your Hand 

Day 1 

One morning in my quiet time, I was spending some time worshipping by recounting the miracles Jesus did as they came to mind. Turning water into wine, raising the dead, healing the blind and the lame, and eventually came to the man with the withered arm.  The account can be found in Mark 3:5, Matt. 12:13, Luke 6:10.  While arguing with the religious leaders of His day, Jesus emphatically says to a man with a withered arm, “Stretch forth your hand!”  As I was meditating on this miracle, for some reason it struck me as odd.  Why would Jesus command a man who had no strength or control of his arm to stretch it out?  Why would He do that?  Knowing the end result, my question seems a little silly but still the question persisted, why would Jesus command such a thing of a man who obviously couldn’t do what He commanded?  Everyone can see the man’s arm.  Did Jesus get caught up in the heat of the moment as He argued with the religious leaders?  

As Jesus said repeatedly, He only did what He heard the Father say or do, so He must have known that through this moment and through this man, the result would bring glory to God. 

Has God ever asked you to do something that you didn’t think you could do?  Maybe reach out to someone, maybe taking a step of faith in some area, maybe even respond to a calling?  You thought to yourself, “I don’t have the strength, the talent, the smarts, the...fill in the blank here___________.’”  Maybe God knows something you don’t.  Maybe God has a greater plan that He is working on and all He needs you to do is to be obedient and… “stretch.” Maybe He doesn’t want to stretch your arm as much as He wants to stretch you – all of you.  

The lack of strength or control of this man’s arm is an assumption, but the fact that the man’s arm was “withered” would suggest that it was not usable at that time.  Why does it matter?  

Because in the Body of Christ, we sometimes get wrapped up in our gifting.  We don’t get involved with things that might stretch us because that’s “not our gifting.”  Don’t misunderstand – there is a valid point there.  But we can’t just assume something is or isn’t the will or calling of God just because we don’t recognize it as being compatible with our gifting – or, what we think our gifting is. 

God may command you to do something you don’t think you have the strength for or seems impossible in your own mind - something you’re incapable of.  Maybe something that doesn’t even make sense to you.  The awesome thing about this is when all is said and done, God gets all the glory because there is nothing in us that could have brought that thing about and… we know it.  It brings us to a point of humility and awe before Him and causes us to deflect all the glory to God.  It limits our temptation to take any of the glory for ourselves because we know better.  If it was something that came out of our gifting or natural talent, it would be easier to take some of the credit.  So, don’t think you’re capable, strong enough or smart enough to do what God is saying?  Good, you might be in the exact position for God to do something incredible through you. 

Reflection: Lord, help us to be sensitive to Your voice. Give us confidence in hearing You and boldness in obedience to those things. Help us not to lean on our own perceptions of ourselves, abilities, or destiny, but to seek You in what Your perspective is and trust You more. 

Scripture: 

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Jeremiah 7:23 

Luke 11:28 

1 Kings 2:3 

John 14:21 

Day 2 

Yesterday, we introduced a discussion on what to do when we feel God is calling us to do something we feel is impossible for us to fulfil. It may be a one-time act or an ongoing call but as we continue, let’s look at a couple of different aspects to this conversation. Today we’ll look at obedience. We see throughout Scripture it wasn’t unusual for a miracle to come out of an act of obedience.  Time and space prevent us from forming a complete list here, but I encourage you as you read the Bible, take note of how many times a miracle was birthed from an act of obedience. Below are some examples to start with:   

• Would the Red Sea have parted if Moses wasn’t obedient and stretched out his staff? 
• Would the Jordan River have parted for Joshua and Israel if the priest didn’t step into a flooded river? 
• Would Peter have ever walked on water if he had not stepped out of the boat?
• Would Naaman have been healed if he refused to dip all 7 times in the Jordan? 
• Would the walls of Jericho have fallen if all the trips around the city had not been completed?
• Would the Spirit have descended on Jesus if John had not relented and baptized Him? 
• Would Noah and his family been saved from destruction if he didn’t build an ark? 
• What would the church look like if the disciples had not waited for the promised Holy Spirit or refused to carry out His great commission? 

Could it be that a miracle is awaiting your obedience?  We don’t want to get carried away with this concept.  Sometimes in Scripture the miracle just came.  Then there were also times when people were obedient to something, yet did not see any supernatural result, but we can’t let that stop us from being obedient.  God may very well do something miraculous, and we may never know about it. So regardless of the outcome, we need to be obedient just because of the One Who is asking and trust Him with the rest.  So, stretch forth your hand.  God is wanting you to stretch. 

Reflection: Lord, help us today to see the areas where You’re calling and challenging us. Give us faith to step out in obedience to Your voice. Thank You for being there with us in the new things that are outside of our comfort zone and that You have our back in those times. 

Scripture: 

Matthew 14:22-33 

Matthew 7:21 and 24-27 

1 John 2:17 

Day 3 

Yesterday, we discussed the role of obedience. Today, we will look at having courage and confidence. Let’s use our imagination for a minute. We sit in chairs all the time. Usually, they are chairs we use on a daily basis, like a recliner at home or a chair at work. Even if it’s an unfamiliar chair, rarely do we carefully examine the chair or inspect its structure before using it. I feel safe in saying we would never x-ray a chair for any flaws or cracks. You are probably reading this while sitting in a chair. Did you examine it before sitting? Did you have any hesitancy before setting all your weight on it? ARE YOU CRAZY!! Why would you do that? Because you have a history with chairs, probably even in the chair you’re using right now. Even if the chair failed, the risk of what could happen is not significant enough. You might fall a foot or two to the ground.   

Now, take that same chair and attach it to a hot air balloon or put it on top of a water tower, etc. What does that do to your comfort level? Are you still carefree about sitting in that chair? Why not? The chair didn’t change.   

Being close to rural areas, I know people who are very comfortable driving larger vehicles and have great control over them. However, they aren’t as comfortable driving in more congested urban areas. Why? The vehicle didn’t change. The roads may even be a little better and wider. It’s because the circumstances have changed. Same chair, same vehicle – different place and different environment. Sometimes we get that way when God is calling us to something outside our comfort zone. He’s the same God, and you’re still the same you - He is just changing the environment. 

I can imagine what the man with the withered hand must have been thinking. Probably the same things we would think about: 

“Stretch forth your hand!” 

• I’ve tried before, and it never worked. 
• I’m not gifted like that; my body wasn’t made that way. 
• I can’t, I’ve never been able to do that. 
• I can’t – it’s broken, I’m broken. 
• God made me like this, and I am what I am. 
• I don’t have the strength. 

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that God is a god of love, design, and purpose. He has a purpose for you. He designed you and knows you better than you know yourself and He knows what He can do in you and through you. But you and I will never know unless we respond and stretch.  He knows more than us, and we can trust Him with it all and have confidence that there is power in faith, reward in obedience, and purpose in responding. Let’s set aside all our insecurities, fears and excuses. It’s time for you and I to stretch forth our hands… 

Reflection: Lord, as we’ve prayed over the last couple of days, help us to be sensitive to Your leading and give us the boldness to walk it out. When I think about the ordinary people in the Bible You used in extraordinary ways, it began with a response and a step of obedience. I want to be like them, but I need Your help just like they did, so I ask for it today. 

Scripture: 

Deuteronomy 5:33 

Deuteronomy 28:1 

Isaiah 48:17 

Joshua 1:8