Many times I have stated or thought in times of trial: The arm or the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save – nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. I say this in the face of difficult situations, disappointments, poor health, wayward children, losses, financial reverses or adversity, and, among many other things, despair. I resolve to watch for the Hand of the Lord.
Have you ever sought to understand or answer: How long is the arm of the Lord or how great is the hand of the Lord? And if we cannot begin to answer the question: how long is the arm or hand of the Lord, then how can we possibly fathom that the arm or the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save.
“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”
Isaiah 59.1
How great is the Hand of the Lord? The Lord who created all things, The Lord who holds back the sea, The Lord who shakes the trees of the wilderness, The Lord who calms the sea that the wind and the waves obey Him, The Lord who who redeems…
—Isaiah 52.2 “Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem?” Do you see: at. all. “Is my hand shortened at all…”
There is nothing too hard for the Lord. I may face a mountain of troubles, I may grieve or struggle with health trials or disappointment or loss or financial adversity – but this I know –I know– there is nothing too hard for the Lord. Nothing. The hand of the Lord is not shortened at all. There is no life, no situation, no trial, no hardship too far or too hard for the Lord. The hand of the Lord is not shortened at all. The enemy of God, the enemy of our souls would have us to believe otherwise. The enemy, the devil, would have us to believe that we are without hope, that we have failed too many times – or worse, that we’re beyond hope – beyond hope of ever doing better, ever getting things right. The enemy may even persuade us to believe that it would be better if we were dead – that our life is of little use or worth – that we’re the only ones with this or that type of troubles or sins or perpetual destructive habits.
The enemy is constantly prowling around, warring against our members seeking whom he may devour. He is at once our tempter, deceiver and accuser. Consider that when temptation comes, it is seemingly harmless, easy and without consequence: Here… have this food, tell this lie, destroy this evidence, no one will see, no one will know, tell that secret… or whatever. But then if we yield to temptation – whatever it is, instantly(!) our tempter becomes our accuser: Ha, how could you have been so dumb, how could you have done that, you always do that, you’ll never get past this, you’ll never be thin, healthy, strong, trustworthy, competent… or whatever.
But God. We turn to God, we turn to the Truth: And we hear: “Is my hand shortened at all…?”
I think of the verse: “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” —Psalm 34.6 You see, the Lord hears and the Lord heals and the Lord lifts. He is at once indeed: Jehovah-jireh (The Lord our provider) and Jehovah-rapha (The Lord our healer) and Jehovah-shammah (The Lord is present) and Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord our peace).
HE will save you. HE will lift you up. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save you… He is able to save to the uttermost. (Hebrews 7.25)
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD,
that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever. —Joshua 4.24
