The personal touch
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man…
Matthew 8:3 (NIV.)
I cannot help but think about hands today. My hands hurt from the arthritis in them. My joints are swollen, and I have contractures in both hands. It makes it hard to type, to do buttons, to put on lotion as much of it stays in the dish of my hands. I often lose grip of things now, but still hands are such a wonderful thing. They help us get dressed, wash the dishes, open doors, and do handstands. They are so versatile. If I close my eyes, I can generally know what it is that I am touching by the feeling provided by my hands. They have a language of their own by the way we move them. My hands may hurt now, and fail me in so many ways, but I still see what a blessing they are to me.
When God spoke in Genesis chapters 1-2 about the creation of our world and our human lives, he begins by speaking it into existence, but when it comes to the first man, and our ensuing race, he gets right down to earth literally and uses his hands to form and shape a man, called Adam (Genesis 2:7); a personal touch. I get a vision of a potter forming and shaping a vessel; love and dedication, time and effort go into the process of making it sturdy and strong and beautiful. When God created Eve, I assume he also touched Adam with his hands as he removed his rib and shaped Eve. Genesis also speaks of God forming the animals and birds (Genesis 2:19). God touched our lives personally, shaping us with his love and gentle hands.
When Jesus healed the man born blind, he put the mud he made with his own hands onto the man’s eyes (John 9:1-7). Jesus was not afraid to personally touch our brokenness and heal us. He healed a woman with internal bleeding (Mark 5:25-26), a crippled man (John 5:2-9), the mother of Peter’s wife (Matthew 8:14-15), the deaf mute of Decapolis (Mark 7:31-37), Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43), two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31), and a leper (Matthew 8:1-4). Jesus reaches out to us and gives us the personal touch, a touch of love and compassion.
Not only does God desire the personal touch with us, but he also invites us to touch him. Jesus invited Thomas to touch his nail scarred hands and side (John 20:27). He wanted Thomas and all his beloved children to know he is real, to believe and be healed. I do not see Thomas as a doubter, but as one who does not want to be deceived. Jesus touches all our lives with his love. We are always in contact with God through the indwelling of the Spirit. Now that is a personal touch.
God told Jerimiah in chapter 1:5 (NLT) “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” I can assume that God moulds and shapes us all in the womb by his miracle of conception. Did the Father and Spirit also mould and shape Jesus in the womb of Mary with their own hands? Yes, I am confident that they did give him the personal touch as well.
May the God of all mercy bless you all this week with his personal touch!
Prayer
Merciful Father, Jesus, and Spirit, I thank you for your personal touch in each one of our lives. For being willing to mould and shape us into who we were meant to be; your precious children. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Anne Gillam
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.
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