By Pastor Samuel Namatiiti
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Since Genesis 1:1 declares that they were created by God, they must have been perfect, for God does not create imperfect things. However, it must have been the fall of Satan from heaven that caused the earth to become formless and void, as verse two records.
After God had perfectly created heaven and earth, Satan’s fall distorted the newly created world. When this happened, the Outstretched Hand of God went into action, recreating the earth. God is the Master at restoring whatever Satan has broken.
That is what He has been doing since the beginning. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and ate from the forbidden tree, humanity became corrupted and lost the gift of eternal life. Man was condemned to death. Yet, glory be to God, man himself was not cursed; rather, the earth was. Humanity became entangled in the curse but was left with a way of escape, through the intervention of the Outstretched Hand of God, for all who would call upon the Name of Jesus Christ for salvation.
No boundaries
Jesus Christ is the Outstretched Hand of God, extended to all who desire salvation. The central verse of the Bible, John 3:16, declares:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s love has no boundaries. It is so deep, so wide, and so high that it covers heaven and earth. From East to West, North to South, the loving Outstretched Hand of God is waiting for whoever will call upon the Name above all names, Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. All things were made by Him and for Him.
Israel’s bondage
Israel spent four hundred years in slavery under Egyptian rule. Entire generations were born and raised in bondage, never knowing freedom or hope of deliverance. It required the Outstretched Hand of God to compel Egypt to release them.
God, remembering His covenant with Abraham, stretched out His mighty hand and delivered Israel from captivity through His servant Moses. As recorded in Exodus 12:51, “The LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.”
When the Outstretched Hand of God pointed to Uganda in the 1960s, a great spiritual awakening swept across the land. Many were delivered from disease, demonic oppression, fear, and destructive habits. In my book The Nations’ Shakers, I tell of an elderly man who was delivered from demonic bondage and empowered to command satanic forces out of his home.
He testified that for years he had been tormented by fear and oppression. Seeking relief, he visited a witch doctor who sold him expensive charms and a small stick. But when he took the stick home, it turned into a snake and slithered into the ceiling. At night, it would invite other snakes to join it. The man and his family believed the snakes would spit blessings upon them, yet instead, they suffered increasing torment.
When the man later gave his life to Jesus, he returned home rejoicing. Realising he could no longer expect blessings from snakes, he commanded them, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave his house — and they did. What joy filled his family when the Outstretched Hand of God touched them, and Jesus became the Master of their lives and home.
Salvation
Throughout the ages, the Outstretched Hand of God has been extended to all who call upon Jesus Christ.
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved… For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:10–13).
We live in an age where the world feels like one global village. Knowledge abounds, but rebellion against God has become widespread. Many people claim to have nothing to do with Him, believing they can manage life on their own — until they face circumstances beyond their control. Then, they seek help, often from the wrong sources, only to sink deeper into trouble.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Hope for salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, the Outstretched Hand of God to humanity.
Healing power
The Outstretched Hand of God is also filled with healing power. God can deal with any disease; in any way He chooses. As Creator of all things, He cannot be confined to one method. Sometimes He sends His Word to heal; other times, He heals through a direct touch, and often, He works through doctors and medical treatment.
God is the Chief Physician, guiding doctors to prescribe the right medicine. Therefore, no one should discourage you from seeking medical help. Go prayerfully to hospital, and God will meet you there as He wills.
I once heard of a young man admitted to hospital due to severe blood loss. Despite doctors’ efforts to transfuse him, the blood kept disappearing. One day, while his mother had stepped out, the young man drifted into a deep sleep and began to dream. He saw two doctors enter the ward, carrying equipment and bottles of blood. They transfused him quickly, and when he awoke, he felt stronger than before.
When his mother returned, she found him sitting up, ready to walk. They both noticed a drop of blood on the floor, though no one else had entered the room. Even the doctors were baffled. Who were those angelic physicians?
The next day, the young man was discharged, completely healed. Today, he pastors a church in Kakiri, along Hoima Road. Truly, the Outstretched Hand of God still heals.
Divine justice
The Gospel of John declares:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1–4)
And Revelation 4:11 proclaims:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.”
Jesus Christ, the Creator of all, has every right to require obedience from those He created. Yet, He gives humanity the freedom to choose. As God said in Deuteronomy 30:19:
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
Every person is given this choice to accept or reject God’s Outstretched Hand. But Scripture reminds us:
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgement” (Hebrews 9:27).
Conclusion
From creation to redemption, from Egypt to Uganda, the Outstretched Hand of God has always been at work, restoring, healing, and saving. It reaches across time and geography, calling every person to return to the Creator through Jesus Christ.
No one is beyond His reach. Whether bound in sin, sickness, or fear, the same hand that shaped the universe still stretches out to lift those who call upon Him.
Today, that hand is extended to you. Will you take hold of it?
