I have always felt that physical touch is very important to our emotional health and wellbeing. The power of touch to heal has been documented through many studies. There have been over a hundred studies on the subject published by the Touch Research Institute alone. Recently a team of neuroscientists stumbled on a very low-tech way to completely prevent stroke damage in rats: tickle their whiskers. (Who comes up with these things?) I know I feel better when my grandchildren tickle my whiskers!
There is no greater touch than the touch of Christ upon our lives. The greatest experiences I’ve ever had in my life came through two ways; God’s touch and God’s voice (I include God’s Word in the category of His voice). In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus demonstrates the power of His touch. Matthew 8:1-4 (NCV) 1 When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed him. 2 Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man bowed down before him and said, “Lord, you can heal me if you will.“ 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I will. Be healed!“ And immediately the man was healed from his disease. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. This will show the people what I have done.“
There very important concepts we need to embrace so we can experience the power of Christ’s touch in our lives and in the lives God leads us to touch with His love:
1. We must humble ourselves and ask Jesus to touch us! The man bowed, a symbol of submission and humility. Then he spoke directly to Jesus, not letting the great crowds that surrounded Jesus discourage him.
2. We must be still until we know Jesus touched us. I see so many Christians running around trying get healed, or get their problems solved, or get their hurts cared for, when the most important thing for us to do is to be still in His presence. Busyness can be a sign of fear or unbelief. The man didn’t get up until he was healed. I admit it’s a lot easier to be still when Jesus heals immediately like He did here in this story. Sometimes Jesus heals immediately, sometimes He heals gradually, and sometimes He heals naturally, through doctors and medication.
In the early 1980’s we were living in Lindsay CA. and were attending the First Baptist church. I had been suffering from constant headaches; if I was awake I was in pain. The Bible says in James if anyone is sick to go to the elders of the church for prayer; so that’s what I did. I showed up to a Board meeting and asked them to pray for me. They sat me down and laid hands on me and began to pray. Within minutes, (its seemed like seconds) the Holy Spirit fell on me big time and I began to speak in tongues! The Holy Spirit, Tongues, Baptists? YES!!! That touch from God was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had with the Holy Spirit. Did I get healed? It took about 2 weeks, everyday I felt better until the headaches completely stopped, never to return, AMEN!
3. We must always make Jesus the focus of the touch. Jesus instructed how he was to respond to the Touch. When God touches you share your story with the pastoral staff of your church. Talk about how your story can show the people what Jesus has done. Make sure you offer your thanks and praise to God Almighty. Then let the people know how God touched you and how God can touch them as well.
PEACE
