Touch can heal

They came to Bethsaida, where some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. After spitting on the man’s eyes, Jesus placed his hands on him and asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man looked up and said, ‘Yes, I can see people, but they look like trees walking around’.

Jesus again placed his hands on the man’s eyes. This time the man looked intently, his eyesight returned, and he saw everything clearly.       (verses 22-25)

Read Mark 8: 11-26

The people begged Jesus to touch the blind man. Jesus more than obliged. He took him by the hand and led him out of the village. As the blind man walked, held by Jesus’ hand, I wonder what they talked about? The touch of Jesus’ hand must have been reassuring, inspiring hope. Jesus was to use even a better touch, his healing touch. He twice touched the man’s eyes until the man fully saw.

Are you using your God – given sense of touch for God? We can use touch in many ways to encourage, to cheer, to inspire hope in people. At a funeral we may communicate our comfort better by appropriate touch than by words, which seem so hard to find. We can congratulate, show Christian affection, encourage, console by appropriate touch. And the touch of other Christians’ hands can do that to us.

Jesus’ touch of friendliness in leading the blind man led to his healing touch. There is healing in touch, especially when God is in the touch.

Touch with your love, 0 Lord, all who are lonely and desperate today. Use me also to reach out with the touch of your love to bring your cheer and healing to those you place before me. Amen.

by Bob Turnbull, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

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