And He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there with a withered hand. They watched Him to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day, so they might accuse Him. Already, we see the energy is negative. They’re not watching to celebrate a miracle. They’re watching to find fault.
Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand forth.” Then He asked them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?” But they held their peace. He looked around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other.
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Yes, it is a day of rest. Yes, God made it holy. But should a man not be healed because it is the Sabbath? Should doctors stop working? Should ambulances stop picking people up? It doesn’t make sense. Humanity matters. Mercy matters. God wants us whole.
But notice this: the man had to do something. Jesus said, “Stand forth.” Then He said, “Stretch forth.” The man could have said, “I can’t. My hand is withered.” But he obeyed. And as he stretched, he was restored. Healing followed obedience. Restoration followed movement.
You cannot remain in a debilitating state and expect change. You must follow the instructions of the Lord. Stretching forth is an act of faith.
God bless, Shirah Chante, your relationship coach and artist
P.S. If this encouraged you, listen to the full episode of Gospel Portions. Torah Tidbits podcast, The Will of God: Stretch Forth show and dive deeper into Mark 3, the Sabbath, and what obedience looks like today.
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