As I walked into my quiet time area this morning, I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Stretch out your hand."
He immediately reminded me of the time Jesus made that statement. The story is in Matthew 12:9-13. This brief story starts in verses 9 and 10, "Jesus entered their synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there." In verse 13, Jesus said to that man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other."
Do you wonder what would've happened if that man didn't take a step of childlike faith and stretch out his hand to Jesus? Would he have walked away in the same condition that he walked in? Would he have missed out on an opportunity of a lifetime to have full use of his hand again? The good news is he did stretch out his hand, and God honored his simple childlike faith to respond to Jesus' command. He will honor your childlike faith too!
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is saying to us today, "stretch out your hand." Reach out and receive what you need from the throne of His grace! The man in this story needed healing, but what is your need today? Is it healing, or finances, or something else? Is it the restoration of an estranged family member.
Whatever it is right now, do what I just did. Stretch out your hand to God. Stretch out your hand to your Father, in
the name of Jesus Christ. Do it in faith! He will respond to you. God answers prayers!
God is your provider, your healer, and your help in time of need! He is Jehovah Jireh! Paul said this! "And my God will supply EVERY NEED OF YOURS according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 ESV)
Jesus said this! "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22 ESV)
In times like these, the temptation for many is to look first to their government for help. I'm not saying it's wrong to take that help; what I am saying is this! God, first and foremost, always wants us to look to him for help. So stretch out your hand in humility and childlike faith. God will meet you where you are!
Now, perhaps you're reading this, and you don't have any immediate needs. Praise God, He has already provided all that you need! If that's the case, let me present this to you. As others stretch out their hands to the Lord in needful prayer, God simultaneously calls His people to go as ambassadors to meet needs. Sometimes in the case of healing, God meets needs directly, with other things He quite often uses people.
Some Christians have been blessed with an overabundance of provision. Praise God for that! If that's you, God wants you to share that provision with those he directs you to. Perhaps it's a person or family in desperate need. Maybe it's a church or ministry that helps people in need, and you can help others through them. As the Holy Spirit leads, stretch out your hand to those He directs you to.
God bless you today as you stretch out your hand, Brian