Stretch Out Your Hand

One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?” After looking around at all of them, he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. Luke 6:1-11

Stretch Out Your Hand

Lord, I am so ashamed of this broken body
of my withered hands, my deformities
you would have me stand in front of all
and show them my horrific body.

I ache in the night and cry for healing
yet my shame comes with daylight
I have been teased and judged for so long
standing in from of them is my nightmare.

Yet you would heal this nightmare
you would banish this lifetime shame
you would give me life anew
and make me savor abundance.

You have invited me to the table
not turning away but making room
welcomed the unlovely and alien, in you
all that I was and am is welcomed home.