Thursday, May 15, 2008

Touched

“Lord, if you will,
You can make
me clean.”
And Jesus stretched
out his hand
and touched him,
saying, “I will; be clean.”

Luke 5:12b-13

We got to the hospital before it opened. Having scheduled surgery a week earlier I was eager to get the procedure over. Because my response to anesthesia is negative my prayer had been, “Lord, if you will, please help me get out of the anesthetic fog without getting nauseous.”

Touches filled the morning. My husband, the intake nurse, the anesthesiologist, the gynecologist, the recovery room nurse, someone always had their hand on me. A touch ended my day as well when a friend, trained in healing therapy, came with dinner and left me drowsy on the floor; the result of a pressure point foot massage. From the beginning to the end my healing involved touching.

Touching was an integral part of Jesus’ ministry. Children, lepers, women, in general, the crowds were all recipients. What is amazing about some of the touching accounts is the faith of the individuals. Like the hemorrhaging woman, the leper in Luke also starts from a belief that with a touch healing would flow.

Jesus stretches out his hand and touches. His healing doesn’t depend on the leper meeting him half way with his own hand. He touches freely. All that was required was a belief that a touch would do.

Walking into the hospital I knew that touching would be necessary for healing. I know that Jesus was there too, touching me, bringing healing to my anxious spirit but to my body as well because upon awakening there wasn’t even a twinge of nausea.

Jesus, thank you for your willing touch.
Stretching out your hand you touch life into me
and I believe that I am nothing without that touch
.
Amen.

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