He was not possessed by a demon. Leprosy had not afflicted him. He wasn’t confined to a mat like a paralytic. He wasn’t stricken with sensory impairments, such as blindness or deafness. He wasn’t hanging on by a thread—his life was relatively good, aside from his wilted hand: “He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand” (Matt. 12:9-10a).
The man with a withered hand didn’t have the worst condition in the world, but what he suffered from was a big deal to him. And, it was a big deal to Jesus. Christ didn’t say, “Look, man. You have it good compared to other folks who are really struggling. I don’t have time for this. Have you tried physical therapy?” Instead, Jesus cared about the man’s well-being and sufficiently met his needs. As Luke recorded, “And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored” (Luke 6:10).
This was not among Jesus’ top ten greatest miracles. He fed multitudes with fish and loaves, calmed raging storms, and healed every kind of disease (Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 4:35-41; Acts 10:38). He even raised Lazarus from the grave (John 11:38-44)! But the man with the withered hand didn’t need a feast, an exorcism, or a resurrection—he simply needed his hand restored. And Christ was willing and able to give the man exactly what he needed, although it was modest compared to the other great miracles He performed during His earthly ministry.
The truth is, all of our needs are significant to God, no matter how insignificant they may seem in comparison to the greater needs of others. Nothing is too small for His attention or too great for His power. The Lord’s care is so personal and precise that He even cares about what we eat and what we wear (Matt. 6:30-33). And when you come to Him for provision, like the man with the withered hand, “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).
This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:
Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.
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