Stretch out your hand
(Mark 3:1-6)

Everyone has some degree of sickness in their mind and in their body. This shows that we are not perfect and our knowledge and efforts are limited. God alone is perfect in this world and none other besides Him. Therefore, we are to come before Jesus Christ, the healer of our souls, the only begotten Son of God.

1. A man with a shriveled hand in the synagogue

One Sabbath Jesus entered into a synagogue, and found a man with a shriveled right hand. In the Bible, the right hand symbolizes the righteous and upright hand. Therefore, having a withered hand implied that the image of righteousness disappeared from his life, merely practicing religion out of habit in his life. Let’s examine our hearts to see whether we are like the man with a shriveled hand practicing our faith out of habit. If so, let’s reflect upon ourselves and repent before God and seek to have our first love restored in the Lord. Furthermore, let’s look to see if there is anyone with a withered hand around us. If so, let’s pray for them and encourage them to restore their passion in their faith life.

2. Those trying to accuse Jesus

In the synagogue, there were a group of people trying to accuse Jesus. They were the synagogue leaders who taught the Scriptures, they claimed to live according to the Scriptures more than anyone. Not only that, they were the front runners to criticize and judge. They said Jesus was going against the Sabbath because He healed the man with the shriveled hand. As we can see, it doesn’t matter how long one claims to have practiced faith, if we lose grace, we block the glory of Jesus and inflict wounds upon the church. Therefore, let’s always examine our hearts, repent of our sins, and live a life with humility. When we confess that we are nothing before God, God’s immense grace will come upon us.

3. Jesus healed the sick

Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Jesus said, “Stretch out your hand.” As the man stretched out his hand in faith, the Lord restored his hand. Even today, the Lord tells us to stretch out our withered hand of worries, anxieties, negative thoughts, and the sickness of our mind and body. Now is the time to repent and with transformed minds, stretch out your hands to the Lord. Stretch out your hand of gratitude, hand of prayer, hand of love, and when we stretch out our hands to the Lord, He will do amazing miracles in our lives. Whatever illness and problem we may have, when we believe solely in the Lord and trust Him, all of us will experience the healing and miracle bestowed to us by the Lord. I bless you all.