Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, 

"Stretch out your hand." So he did, and his hand was made healthy. 

Mark 3:5 CEB

Stretch out your hand.

I wonder why Jesus asked this person to stretch out their hand, the hand that was less than, the hand that didn't function how hands are supposed to function, this person's greatest weakness.

Stretch out your hand.

Is it a command?

An invitation?

It's almost like this person is presenting their failed, broken part, that part he keeps hidden away, the part that holds shame for him, that part of himself is an offering.

Stretch out your hand.

Maybe there's some part of us that we don't think is good enough, acceptable, that is broken, that carries our shame, that we keep hidden away, and Jesus says "It's OK,

I'm  here,

I want to speak life and hope and healing, will you stretch out your "hand", that part, to me?

Trust me,

You won't experience rejection here,

with me comes Life.

Stretch out your hand to me"

#gospelofMark #invitation 

#stretchoutyourhand