‘And some people brought a man who was blind to Jesus and begged Him to touch him.’  – Mark 8.22

‘Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him (the leper),’  – Mark 1.41

(Jairus, a synagogue official said,) ‘My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her’  – Mark 5.23

‘And Jesus came to her (Simon’s mother-in-law) and raised her up, taking her by the hand,’  – Mark 1.31

‘After hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.  For she had been saying to herself “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”’  – Mark 5:27,28

‘And He could not do any miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them’  – Mark 6.5

‘Those who had diseases pushed in around Him in order to touch Him.’  – Mark 3.10

Jesus, Who as King of kings and Lord of lords could have been unapproachable, but even the marginalized, diseased and cast out ones knew they could come to Him – touch Him – and be touched by Him.  Jesus could have just spoken the words, “You are healed”, but He chose to lay His hands on people – to lovingly touch them as He was so greatly moved by their needs. Physical needs. Spiritual needs. Emotional needs.

This writing is not about being healed.  We know that our Lord chooses to not heal everyone.  In II Corinthians 12.8, concerning an infirmity, the apostle Paul wrote, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.’  And God chose not to heal Paul.  How I would love to have my lower back healed and a very painful knee. And though the Lord has healed me at other times, He has chosen not to heal this time.  Like Paul, I have to say, “His grace is sufficient.”

However, this writing concerns a personal Jesus Who loves and cares for us deeply – Who chose to reach out His hand and physically touch people while He walked the earth.  At one time, He did physically heal me, but more importantly, ‘by His stripes I am (spiritually) healed’. (Isaiah 53.5)  One day, I will gaze on those precious nail-print-hands, reach out my hand to touch His hand – and lovingly and ever so gratefully – kiss it. Thank You, Jesus, for touching me . .

He Touched Me

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

He touched me, oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.