Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. — Matthew 12:13 (NIV)
This story is often drawn to the debate about whether Jesus should heal on the Sabbath. However, I want to redirect it to the man with the withered hand. Jesus saw him, and He knew the Pharisees wanted to plot against Him, but He still told the man to stretch out his withered hand, and completely restored the hand, so that it is as sound as the other.
We all have our Withered Hand
We may not have withered hands physically, but we have our emotional trauma, which is easier to hide. It could be old hurts that never healed, painful disappointments, broken relationship, buried dream, shame that we have carried for years, a longing that has dried up. For most of us, it is well hidden. Except, God knows.
Jesus Asks for Our Brokenness
Jesus asked the man to stretch out his withered hands, exposing the very thing he is hiding and ashamed of. Yet, it is in obeying Jesus that healing and restoration can begin.
Jesus invites us to do the same, not because He doesn’t already know our pain, but because healing begins when we place our brokenness into His hands.
Restoration is God’s Desire
In front of the Pharisees, Jesus restored the man’s withered hand.
Jesus desires to restore our brokenness, remove our shame and make us whole again. Sometimes the restoration is immediate. Other times, it unfolds over time. But it begins with the courage to stretch out to Jesus what we have been hiding. It begins with obedience and trust in God.
My Invitation
This is my invitation to you today: have the courage to stretch out what are hidden in your heart to Jesus – your sadness, grief, disappointments, fear, anxiety, buried dreams, shame and guilt. May He bring healing and restoration to you, and make you whole.