Do You Feel His Touch?
by Dr. John Barnett

Have you ever considered the power of touch? At this very instant, as you use your senses to read this page, there are five trillion chemical operations occurring each second in your brain. The brain has no contact with the outside world. It is inside an ivory box of bone connected through cables coming up through the spinal column, and from the optical nerve, the auditory nerves, and all the central nervous system - from our touch to our taste. All of these come in and converge in the brain.

Our Sense of Touch: This is the strongest of our senses. Just to define "touch" makes it the longest entry in the English language dictionary. No word has more meanings and images. Touch is the sense most alert when we sleep. Is there any human activity that does not vitally rely on touch?

Although scientists cannot agree on how touch works in humans, they can measure it. For instance, one tap of your fingernail can discern between paper, fabric, wood, plastic, or steel. A finger can detect lines etched 1/2500th of an inch deep. It can feel even the slightest breeze that is 1/1000th of an ounce at the tip of a one-half inch hair. But those sensitivities in us, His creatures, pale in comparison with our Creator's power to sense and feel our touch.

The touch of Jesus is likewise the strongest sense we get of His power. Have you ever pondered the wonderful joy of being touched by Jesus? He reached out and touched the sinners and the sick, the demonized and the defiled, the young and the old, the living and the dead, and the hopeless and the helpless. And all were changed marvelously!

The Gospels record no less than forty times when Jesus touched individuals in His ministry. Some of the most well-known are the touch of cleansing a leper (Matthew 8:1-4); the touch of liberation for Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15); the touch of completion as multitudes pressed to touch Him (Matthew 14:36); the touch of encouragement for the astonished disciples (Matthew 17:7); and the touch of sight for Bartimaeus and his friend (Matthew 20:34).

The Wonder of Being Touched by Jesus

Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed" (Mark 1:41, emphasis added).

The most often-noted emotion of Christ's ministry was His compassion. Jesus was shown to be "moved with compassion" no less than thirteen times. (We all need a good dose of His compassion!) A great student of the life and ministry of Christ, the apostle Paul, said his ministry was motivated by Christ's love. What did the compassion of Jesus look like?

Jesus was moved with compassion for the confused, the sick and suffering, the weak, the desperate, the persistent, the helpless, the hopeless, the bereaved, the misfortunate, and the repentant!

The wonder of being touched by Jesus is clearly seen in Mark where some, like the grateful leper in 1:41, were touched by God in a mighty way.

Have you experienced the touch of Jesus? His nail-scarred hands are reaching out to touch those who will let Him! Do you need the touch of Jesus? He is extending His hand to you, if you will seek Him.

- Reach out by faith. Acknowledge that God senses every fiber of your life. He can feel your needs, and by faith you can touch God.

- Ask for His touch. Only Jesus Christ can fully meet your needs, so you must go to Him.

- Confess His work in you. If He has touched you, you should admit it publicly. Have you touched God today? Has He touched you? Do you need to tell someone?

Bill Gaither wrote a wonderful song in 1963 entitled, "He Touched Me." Listen to the words:

Shackled by a heavy burden, 'neath a load of guilt and shame, then the hand of Jesus touched me, And now I am no longer the same. Since I met this blessed Savior, Since he cleansed and made me whole, I will never cease to praise Him--I'll shout it while eternity rolls.

Feel Your Wonderful Merciful Savior

Cry out now to your: Wonderful, merciful Savior, Precious Redeemer and Friend--Who would have thought that a Lamb Could rescue the souls of men, Oh you rescue the souls of men

Seek now your: Counselor, Comforter, Keeper, Spirit we long to embrace; You offer hope when our hearts have, Hopelessly lost the way, Oh, we've hopelessly lost the way

Find the precious, life giving touch of Christ by telling Him: You are the One that we praise, the One we adore; You give the healing and grace, Our hearts always hunger for...

To read or listen to this devotional and see the rest of the series check David's Spiritual Secret or Week 10 and 34 of the devotional book Dr. Barnett wrote called Living Hope.

Thursday, November 15, 2007