God's Touch

“Please don’t touch!”

I snatched my hand back as if the sculpture had turned to fire. Dale Chihuly's glass creations, especially this one that looked like a column of ice, invite the forbidden touch. They are always displayed within reach. This was my first experience with his fascinating works of art, and the guard at the Jerusalem museum firmly set the boundaries. Here I was, a mother who had trained her own children to enjoy but not touch beautiful things, humbled by correction and laughed at by her husband in the bargain!

Abraham Lincoln’s bronze nose has been touched plenty over the years. The bust of the 16th US President sits on a pedestal in front of his tomb in Springfield, Illinois. Visitors are welcomed to rub his nose for good luck. For many years people have taken this to heart and given it a glossy shine.

Certain fabrics and soft furs on animals beg to be touched, and the rewarding sensation snuggles into our pleasure centers. Children’s museums are designed for touching. It’s a kid’s natural instinct. I even used to put an array of “please touch” items on my teacher’s desk for students who were waiting their turn for my help.

*****

Touching another person is a different story. Some people are more comfortable than others with being touched physically. An unwelcome touch can make people feel uncomfortable or even threatened. It’s important to ask permission to touch others, to respect their comfort zone.

 I’ve noticed, however, that most people who are older or who have been sick for a long time crave gentle hugs and hand holds. They grow weary of the poking and prodding and routine lifting and shoving, no matter how kind the caregiver might be. I taught my fourth graders to carefully take the aged hands of the people we visited in the senior center. As the children grew more comfortable, I watched them rest an arm gently on a stooped shoulder, deep in conversation with their new friend.

*****

Jesus did a lot of touching, healing, restoring sight and hearing. People would touch the hem of his garment and the power would flow from Him (Luke 6:19). Imagine having that effect on people!

My favorite Bible lesson really is a touching story. Moms brought their little children to Jesus so He would lay His hands on them and pray for them. I wonder what those mothers were hoping for. Maybe a change in a child’s behavior or a baby finally sleeping through the night? I always try to picture what those little ones looked like. Typical kids with runny noses, dirty hands and faces, tangled locks of hair. No wonder the disciples thought it wasn’t a good idea. But Jesus knew His touch was needed because it made them feel important. They had value. They weren’t shoved aside. They were front and center in His attention.

And then there was the ultimate “Please touch!” experience. The disciples were encouraged to touch the Risen Savior. “Touch me and see!” (Luke 24:39) Because of those touches they were convinced He was alive and real. Those touches convince me it is really true too!

I know I can’t touch my Lord, but He touches me every day. He does it because it makes me feel important and valued. I am front and center. I have His full attention.

As the old song says, “He touched me! And O the joy that fills my soul.” I wait for Him each day, again and again, asking for myself “Please touch!”

He’s the one who makes me alive. He’s the one who makes this life real.

And He’s the one who teaches me how to touch others with His love.

Leaving my guilt at the cross,

Christine