But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So, the man came forward … He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! Luke 6: 8,10 NLT
The choice to own your lack of health and get healthy is big and laudable. But nothing will change unless you follow it up with numerous other choices. If you want to be well, you are going to have to do some things that you never thought you could do or that you haven’t done for a long time. God’s way is that we always participate in our own healing.
One day Jesus was teaching in a synagogue full of people hanging on every word – most anxious for Him to do something amazing. But some Pharisees were there looking to accuse Him of breaking the law. A man in the crowd was hanging back, wanting to hear and see everything without being noticed. He had spent his life hiding his problem. It was a physical issue that led to an emotional hangup. His hand was deformed. It had been the source of morbid curiosity, teasing, and speculation all his life. Many religious people thought disability was a result of God’s displeasure with him. It kept him from moving ahead financially and having close relationships. It even affected the way he dressed and handled himself socially. He avoided being the focus of attention anywhere. He kept his hand and arm covered with the long full sleeves of his robes. He was safely ensconced in the back corners of the crowd.
But the rabbi seemed to know everything. He called him forward. He said for everyone to hear, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” How could he say no? So he came forward, keeping his hand concealed as much as possible. Then Jesus, the rabbi, went even further. “Hold out your hand,” He directed. With his heart pounding, feeling his neck and face flush with anxiety and embarrassment, he held out his deformed hand, the source of his greatest hurts and hangups. To his utter amazement and the shock of the crowd, right in front of their eyes, his hand was restored to perfection! He was healed!
Now he had to make more decisions and step in more new directions. He had to live up to the new possibilities and responsibilities that came with healing. He had to work, build relationships, quit making excuses. He had to resist his habits of hiding, making excuses, and blaming. He now could live in health – but it would involve daily choices to live out his healing. We have the same opportunity. We can be healed. But we must participate fully in our healing process and make the daily choices to live in health.
- What is Jesus asking you to do right now to step into healing? Be courageous. Do it.