Hand shakes. Fist bumps. Chest bumps. High fives. Back pats. Full frontal hugs. Side hugs. Smooches.
A few years ago a study was conducted with babies. One set of babies got their diapers changed and were fed some milk. The other set of babies were fed, changed, held, and massaged. Despite both sets being fed the same amount, the babies who were touched the most, grew the most.
Interesting isn’t it?
I realize a few folks like their personal space and a certain number of Bible lengths in between them and another human being. But whether you’re a touchy feely person or not, there’s nothing like a good hug am I right?
When someone is willing to touch you and you reciprocate it, it says something about your relationship doesn’t it? There is a mutual trust and a certain level of vulnerability and intimacy. In a way, physical touch is a sign of emotional trust.
I remember very clearly the first time I held Lyndsay’s hand. The first time we hugged. And of course, the first time we kissed. But let’s be clear – she kissed me. True story.
There are many things that grow a relationship, like time spent, words of affirmation, and acts of service. But there is something about allowing someone else to touch you that really grows the relationship. It takes the amount of trust, respect, love, commitment, and passion for each other to a whole level that Tweeting, emailing, texting, and Facebook simply cannot “touch.”
Now of course there are certain kinds of touch that are only appropriate for certain times in life and certain people. Some touch can actually slow us rather than grow us if not held in check.
But the point is this: We were created with a desire to touch and be touched. Even deeper than this, we were created with a longing to touch and be touched by God.
In Luke 8, Jesus is on his way to heal the 12 year-old dying daughter of Jairus. As he draws near, a huge throng of people crowd around him. Suddenly, he stops in his tracks. “Who touched me? Some power has gone out of me.”
A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,but no one could heal her. She had come up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
Seeing that she could not go unnoticed, the woman came trembling and fell at his feet. She told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Then, upon arrival at the house of Jairus, he took the young girl by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.
The woman touched Jesus. And then Jesus touched the girl.
In Hebrews 4:15-16, the writer says, “For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
We have a high priest who can be touched! And he touches us!
He touches unclean, broken, stinky, screwed up, bleeding, hemorrhaging, sinful people like us. With a simple touch, we can find life and healing and peace and restoration.
All we have to do is trust His acceptability, accessibility, and “almightability.” He accepts us just the way we are. He is accessible anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. And He is more than able to heal our broken hearts.
So what is our area of need? Is there a pattern of bleeding in our lives? A place in our hearts that needs healed? Are we looking to the dying world or the living Word for help?
Like the ailing woman, may we elbow and push and press on boldly towards the presence of Jesus. May we not let anything or anyone stand in our way. And may we reach out and touch Jesus and be healed.