Intro: I enjoy spending time with our granddaughter, Amana, each week. She loves to explore new things, but she also likes to hold my hand while she is doing so. Amana knows I love her and she trust me to make sure she is safe. In some very simplistic ways, it reminds me of how I feel as I spiritually cling to the Hand of the Lord and walk through the unknowns of life.
When we spend time in the Word of God, we begin to understand a bit more about our Lord who knows and loves us, as well as wants to be known and loved in return. Scripture has been given to us by God for a reason—it is His self-testimony—so human beings can know the true nature and character of the Lord. We serve a Creator whose Hand of unfailing love reaches from the spiritual realm into the natural realm for us all the time. Pause and think about that for a moment.
In our passage today, Jesus has an encounter in the synagogue with a man who has a deformed or shriveled hand; this needy soul comes with hope to be seen by God and touched by His goodness. Jesus sees the man and takes the opportunity to connect heaven and earth with God’s powerful and healing love on the Sabbath to reveal God’s merciful nature and desire to restore those who come with faith. Yet, the religious Pharisees who are to be shepherding people and helping them to connect with God, are actually more concerned with honoring rules that leave people ignorant of the truth and powerless to experience change based on their view of the Sabbath.
Jesus proclaims to the Pharisees, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath,” but their hearts are so steeped in their traditions and rules, they have no capability to lead people toward God’s powerful Hand to save. So, to set the Truth out and reveal God’s nature to connect the power of heaven with this man, Jesus violates the rule which infuriates the Pharisees! Please do not ever underestimate humanity’s ability to see God in a diminished capacity and even teach it to others, rather than portray Him as the ever-present Helper who heals the spiritually lame. Hold out your hand, today!
Matthew 12:9-14 NLT Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
9 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.
Prayer: Almighty God, as Lord of the Sabbath, we are invited to rest in your care for us every day. What a blessing it is to know it is always your desire to restore us from the trauma we experience in this fallen world. So, we pray and ask for you to heal not only our woundedness and brokenness, but for all human hearts to find your healing touch. Thank you for always extending your righteous and mighty Hand to us for salvation. We hold out our hand to you, today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.