Dec 19 – HAND OF THE LORD !

“…that Your hand would be with me.” (1 Chronicles 4:10)

‘Lord let Your hand be with me’, was an essential part of prayer by Jabez. Just consider how pleasant and wonderful that prayer is!

The name ‘Jabez’ meant one who is born in pain. He was full of sorrow and his mother gave birth to him in pain. May be she lost her husband around that time, or she went through great losses, or been through poverty and sickness. But even amidst all these sorrows, Jabez looked unto the hand of God, which could wipe away all his tears.

When you read the book of Ezra, you find repeated mention of ‘hand of the Lord my God was upon me’. He writes: “So, I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me” (Ezra 7:28). Psalmist David also says: “If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:9-10).

Dear children of God, will you submit yourself for the hand of God to rest upon you? His hand rescues and saves us. (Psalm 144:7). The Lord has a mighty arm and strong hands (Psalm 89:13). And His hand helps you (Psalm 119:173).

There once was a mighty man of God. Suddenly, he fell into sickness and a great turmoil in his life, when he least expected it. He was completely surrounded by darkness of death. While he was struggling with death, he had a sudden vision. In that vision, he had to pass through a terrifying valley. He could see many devils screaming in the valley. When they came near him, they shouted: ‘Come into the dark valley with us. You have taken away many who belonged to us and sent them to heaven. We will not therefore leave you without executing vengeance’.

When the man of God looked at the evil spirits and their dark form, his heart trembled in fear. But in a flash, the nail-pierced hand of God, rested as a bright bridge between the two sides of the dark valley. When he saw that, the man of God climbed on top of that and crossed over the valley. At the end, the Lord spoke to him, saying: “My hand will always be with you. March forward in that assurance. And never turn back”. In the next moment, that vision disappeared. And the man of god, regained perfect health. Dear children of God, you too be rest assured that you are in the mighty hand of God and thank and praise Him.

Verse for further meditation: “Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters” (Psalm 144:7)