There’s something about getting out of bed, raising your hands to the sky and stretching out the muscles and bones; it just feels good! It brings the body to life and gets you motivated and moving. There’s power in the stretch. Add God to the equation and things happen. When scripture mentions God stretching, there was a powerful effect.
When God Stretches There is Freedom
Exodus 6:6 ~ Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
When God stretched out His arm over the children of Israel He brought them out of a 400 year bondage. All that generation had known was Pharaoh’s control; they’d never experienced freedom. Is it any wonder they didn’t know what to do with it when they finally got it? They’d never experienced their own wealth or their own will. The task masters told them when to get up and when to lie down. But now, God had stretched forth His arm and brought them out and for the first time in their lives they could make their own decisions. When God’s brings us out of the bondage of sin it’s much the same way. There is a wonder in feeling the freedom of forgiveness; it’s almost too good to be true! So what do you do with it? Just like Israel, the decision is yours. You can continue to try and figure life out on your own, or you can trust the One Who brought you out. You didn’t do a thing to warrant salvation. Christ paid that price in full, your responsibility now is to thank Him, praise Him and live in a way that brings glory to His name.
When God Stretches Us There is Victory
Joshua 8:18-19
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
Joshua had a gift for leadership, it began with great faith and a can do attitude. He had seen the waters parted, the Egyptian army leveled, he’d seen the price of 40 years for disobedience, he’d watched the wall of Jericho fall with a shout and now he stood before Ai for the second time having just been beaten because of a sin in the camp. But this time there would be victory!
It stretches us to believe God for the victory when we’ve experienced so many failures. The victory comes with a right heart, and determination that we’re going to do this thing right. If Joshua had focused on the failures, victory would not have come. If we’re going to win the battle before us we have to learn from the losses and wait for the win. When God told Joshua to stretch he did and the ambush arose quickly. If you’ve got a battle before you, do it right. Confess what’s wrong – your sin. Count on what’s right – God sovereignty. Continue on in what’s ordered.
For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
God has a purpose for our lives, and He’ll align it all with a stretched out hand for Victory if we’ll stay steadfast in His word and ways. Amen!
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