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

O God of our beginnings and endings

you reached out in the beginning

making life by touching and breathing

we pray for your healing touch today.

We are troubled for our nation

which is broken and bleeding

we are fearful for all the people

vulnerable to illness and oppression.

Our lives are touched by great loss

the tensions have risen like flood waters

we are weary and weaken by hate

restore us and fill us with your peace.

Help us to daily ask for what we need

break down the barriers of shame and guilt

let us lean in to you as we reach out

make us instruments of healing and peace. Amen.