A touching moment
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself (Psalm 80:17).
Read Psalm 80:1–7,17–19
Today’s psalm is a plea for God to save and restore the people of Israel, a plea that God’s face would once again shine on them and that they would be saved. There is a plea that God’s hand would once again touch them.
How good it is when someone puts a hand on your shoulder or gives you a two-handed handshake just when you are feeling down and out?
Touching is important for our wellbeing. Being touched can make you feel happier, reduce your stress levels, and reduce your heart rate and blood pressure. It can lessen depression and anxiety, boost your immune system and even relieve pain (‘Facts about touch: how human contact affects your health and relationships’, Taylor Mallory Holland, Personal Health, 28 April 2018).
Note: We cannot assume that physical touch is always appropriate, particularly if we do not know the person and/or we are in a position of power or authority over them. It is important to ask permission, even of children, before touching (other than a handshake, of course). God’s touch was/is never physical, even for the children of Israel.
Shaking hands is an accepted formal way of greeting people. There are different types of handshakes: the firm, confident grasp; the two-handed shake, which can express sympathy or extra care; and, of course, the soft handshake, which may portray a lack of confidence or nervousness. Different cultures may interpret these in other ways.
At the time the psalm was written, God’s touch would be perceived as comforting and reassuring, delivering a promise of salvation and a return to God’s favour.
How do we experience God’s touch in our lives today?
We pray for God’s guidance as we make decisions about the future. It can be reassuring to look back and see how God has guided and protected us when things have taken a turn that we hadn’t planned for.
God’s hand provides comfort when we feel sad, lost or lonely. His love surrounds us and is always there for us. Sometimes it’s hard to reach out for that hand, but whatever happens, however sad, lost or alone we feel, God is always there patiently holding out a hand to us.
Let’s pray that our faith is strong enough to allow us to rest in the palm of God’s hand each day as we journey through life.
Caring God, thank you for always being there for us. Open our eyes so that we can see you working in our lives and know that you are always there for us. Amen.
Colleen Fitzpatrick is retired and lives in Adelaide. She enjoys reading and writing. She particularly enjoys listening to people’s stories and telling her own stories. Colleen finds storytelling a great way to learn about people, who they are and what they do. She loves nature and the beauty of God’s creation – and wishes she could understand what her favourite magpies talk about.
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