When God Moves His Hand by Martin Wiles

Dad taught me to ride a bike. I don’t specifically remember it, but I know he either held the bike and ran beside me or gave me a push. I know because that’s normal “teach a kid to ride a bike” behavior. And like most kids, I probably fell a few times before getting the hang of it.

When the time came for me to teach my two children, I followed the same pattern. I placed my hands on their bikes and steadied them until they got going. Eventually they looked back and saw they were riding on their own and didn’t need my hands.

God’s hands-on the other hand, are always needed as King Hezekiah discovered. Hezekiah became deathly ill, but God healed him. When envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (II Chronicles 32:31). Would he give God credit or show foreigners the riches of his kingdom and brag a little? He chose the latter.

God never abandons us literally or completely-after all, he’s God. Nor does he tempt us to sin, but humanly speaking he does occasionally move his hand to test what’s in our heart. God’s tests have a way of bringing out our true character-who we really are beneath the thin veneer that often covers our words, attitudes and actions.

Removing my hand from the bike let my children know whether they had mastered the art of bike riding. When God moved his hand from Hezekiah, pride surfaced. Instead of being bitter when God moves his hand, pay attention to what surfaces. Maybe you’re not ready to ride on your own yet.

Prayer: Thank You Father for caring enough to move Your hand.