Somebody Touched Me!

When the President comes to town, or a movie personality, or a rock-artist of fame, the crowds throng the guest, reaching hands out to touch. They want to shake hands, get an autograph, or even touch the person’s clothing. Why?

The New Testament tells a similar story of crowds, thronging our Lord, and especially of a woman, who reached forward to “touch” Him.

Again and again, we read of Jesus touching someone: the blind man, the lame, the leper. The touch of the Savior brought healing, wholeness, the woman who reached out to touch was healed!

His touch was like a miracle! How many times Christians have rejoiced in their newness of life with the simple statement of faith, “He touched me!” Touching is life’s best communication. It is better than a thousand words. What can you say in those hundreds of instances when words just don’t come, or when words are simply inadequate? The warm handshake, the friendly hug, the touch of someone’s hand is often the only thing that will do the job!

Please touch! Life is lonely when people walk around in a wilderness of words. It is easy to feel rejected, left out, “out-of-touch” in today’s world.

Many churches take a moment for folks to “give the peace”…a handshake, a greeting, or the words: “the peace of God be with you”.

John said in his epistle, concerning Jesus: “that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen, which we have looked upon, and touched with our hands.” (I John 1:1)

Whenever we take the Last Supper, or the sacrament of Holy Communion, we are allowed to take the bread, to hold it between our fingers, and to receive the grape juice (the Wine), and it touches our tongues. The Word does become flesh, and in the act of sacrament, we have touched Him, and He touches us, to make us whole!