Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms…

Physical hunger nags at the stomachs of the traveling band of disciples.  Without really thinking about what day it is; they grab a handful of grain as they walk through a field.  They use their hands to harvest the sweet grain from the hulls.  The Lord of the Sabbath sanctions this way of feeding his followers for there is more work ahead to be done and they need to be fed.

Later, as the Lord of the Sabbath is teaching at a local synagogue, he sees a man with a withered hand.  Jesus asks the man stand before all who are gathered and says, “hold out your hand.”  The man obeys and right before the eyes of everyone, his hand is made new.

Whether hands are used to satisfy extreme hunger or a hand used to display his authority and healing power from God in Him, Jesus will not hesitate to prove to unbelievers Who He is.  And He still does!

Am I ready and willing to hold out my hands to receive all that He wants to give to show the world Who He is?

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Luke 6, The Message

In Charge of the Sabbath

6 ^1-2 On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?”

^3-4 But Jesus stood up for them. “Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions.”

⁵ Then he said, “The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”

^6-8 On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand. The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath violation. He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: “Get up and stand here before us.” He did.

⁹ Then Jesus addressed them, “Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?”

^10-11 He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out—it was as good as new! They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Who’s in charge?  Who is Lord?  Good or evil? 

These are the questions with solid answers that Jesus gives his accusers who are being used by the evil one to bring Jesus down for the purpose of destroying His mission from God.  These religious leaders are so taken in by the lies of the enemy that their pride rules their hearts.  They are so fearful of losing their current power over people, that they attempt to control Who God has sent to save them from themselves and their sins. 

The religious without relationship to God do not offer a hand to help or give a hand to welcome.  They do not lift their hands in praise to God for the healing power that takes place.  They only point fingers of hate as they judge every move Jesus makes. 

The Lord of the Sabbath knows that and proves His authority from God who sent Him.

What’s really going on here?  The religious leaders, over generations have added to God’s Law for the purpose of power.  These tedious rules are a burden, hurting with no thought for helping people.  These rules, not in the original law, but merely their interpretations of The Law are used to “lord it over” the people.  In other words, they think they’re in charge.  Jesus comes to fulfill God’s original Law that was intended to help, protect, and nurture His people.  Jesus comes with power to heal.  So, fear sets in to those who think they may lose their manmade power.

The religious leaders are blind. They cannot see God in Jesus standing right in front of them.  

They are deaf.  They cannot hear what Jesus is saying because their ears are no longer tuned to God’s voice.  These leaders are hardhearted and reflect Isaiah’s words to other blind servants of God;

“Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!  Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send?  Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the Lord?  You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.”  (Isaiah 42:18-20) 

According to Isaiah, the result of this condition of remaining spiritually deaf and blind are lives lost, becoming plunder for the enemy.  (Read the whole chapter.)

What is our response today? 

We must hold out our hands to Jesus for His healing, ready to receive His salvation.  We must use our hands to get a grip His hands of love, mercy, and grace, holding on for dear life!  We lift our hands to God and cry out for His wisdom, insight and understanding. The Lord of the Sabbath sent from God promises to give what you ask when hearts are sincere, ready to let go of self to gain all that God wants to give. His promises are true.  God cannot and does not lie.

So, be healed of spiritual blindness and deafness.  Guard your heart!  Even we, as God’s people can become spiritually blind and deaf during challenging times in our lives that weaken us. How does that happen? We stop listening to God and his Word and start doing things our own way. We stop paying attention to what God’s doing around us and instead focus solely on our own agendas and our hurt.

God has called us to be light to a dying world. But how can we be light when we are just as deaf and blind as the world is? Avoid being that way.  Let us keep our eyes and ears open to our heavenly Father, as Jesus did. Let us always look at what God is doing in us and around us, and put our hands in His, joining Him in His work.  May we refuse to join the blind and the deaf, but let us go out to them, bringing them out of darkness into God’s light.  That’s what the Lord of the Sabbath tells us to do!  And He’s in charge!

Lord,

You are in charge because of who you are!  You are God.  No one else is God.  There is no one else like You.  You are Truth.  You do not lie.  You love us; the enemy hates us.  You want the best for us; the enemy wants to destroy us. 

So, I lift my hands to you this morning in praise to You.  I also hold out my hands to receive all you want to give to help me on my journey here in preparation for my eternal home with you there.  You are God.  I am not.  I’m yours—heart, mind, and soul.  Show your ways, your agenda for today, and I will follow.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.