Sep – 11 – HAND NOT SHORTENED!

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save” (Isaiah 59:1).

You are in the arms of God. The arm of God is a strong one, a powerful one and also one to carry you to the end. Is not God saying, “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands?” Yes, His strong hand in which you have been engraved is powerful to guide you to the end. 

Once a pious military Officer was proceeding on a sea journey along with his wife. All of a sudden, the sea became turbulent and a dangerous situation prevailed. The wife said with tears, “Oh, I am going to die. Why should my death happen in the sea?” She was struggling and stumbling. In a rush, the military officer drew out his sword and thought of killing his wife and kill himself too. 

Immediately the wife stopped him saying, “Your hand can never kill me. It is the one which loves me and gave me the married life and it is the one which protected me thus far.” Saying this, she also kissed his hand. That love of the woman touched the military officer. He dropped the sword, held his wife firmly with his right hand, began to swim bravely and reached the shore safely. Yes. That hand of love saved the wife.

Will you look up to the hand of God? That hand will never harm you. It is that hand which redeemed the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt. Since the mighty hand and the outstretched arm were in support of the Israelites, the Red Sea split into two. The strong arm of God protected the children of Israel and thus no harm reached them. The Psalmist says, “You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand and high is your right hand” (Psalm 89:13).

The hand of God is one which will never harm you. Was it not stretched on the cross for the reason that He placed His love on you? He happily allowed his hand to be pierced with nails. He stretches that hand towards you and says, “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:16). That hand never forgets you.

David says, “For He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice” (Psalm 95:7). Jesus said, “And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Dear children of God, resolve to humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand as you are the sheep of His pasture. Rather than roaming around here and there, submit yourself under His mighty hand so that He exalts you at the most appropriate time.   

To meditate: “…Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying” (I Kings 8:15).