The Power of Touch - The Crosswalk Devotional - August 11
The Power of Touch
By Rachael Adams
“A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,’ he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’" -Mark 1:40-41 NLT
When my husband, Bryan, comes home from work each day, my daughter, Kate, runs and jumps into his arms. More often than not, Bryan says, “I needed that,” as he holds her tight.
There is something comforting about the touch of a loved one, isn’t there? An encouraging pat on the back, a reassuring squeeze of the hand, a playful rustle of the hair, a quick kiss on the forehead, or a lingering embrace—these kinds of touches can strengthen our connection, soothe our emotions, and communicate understanding without a word. From the moment we are born to the final days of our lives, touch is an integral part of the human experience, impacting our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Jesus understood the power of touch. He held children, washed feet, and healed the sick through physical touch. In one of the first recorded healings Jesus performed, he healed a leper by touching him. Everyone considered lepers to be untouchable—everyone but Jesus (Mark 1). I love this about him, but interestingly, this wasn’t always how Jesus healed lepers. In fact, in Luke 17, when Jesus met ten lepers in a village, he didn’t touch them. Instead, he told them to go see the priest, and while they were on their way there, they were cleansed (Luke 17:12-14).
So, in one instance, Jesus touched a leper to heal him, and in another instance, he didn’t touch the ten lepers to heal them? This has me wondering why. Clearly, Jesus could heal without touching someone, so why touch this man when he didn’t have to? We find the answer in Mark 1:41, which says, “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him.” There was something this man needed those others didn’t; he needed to be touched.
This leper example in Mark isn't the only time Jesus touched people to heal them. Through touch, he healed the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31), raised a young girl from the dead (Mark 5:41), returned hearing to the deaf (Mark 7:33-36), and restored sight to the blind (Mark 8:22-25).
On another occasion, as Jesus was walking, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the hem of his cloak (Mark 5:25-34). Just touching him was all it took to heal her. It’s fascinating to note that in these passages, it doesn’t make a difference if Jesus was the one who reached out to the person or if it was the person who reached out to Jesus. If contact was made in faith, there was healing power in the touch.
Nearly nineteen centuries later, these stories are still impacting our hearts. One touch from Jesus has now affected millions, and he wants to do the same thing in our lives. Just as Jesus was moved by compassion, compassion can move us to reach out to others too. Your simple, wordless gestures could be exactly what is needed to strengthen a connection, soothe an emotion, communicate without a word, or heal a hurting heart. Does someone need a touch from you today?
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Offer a handshake, pat on the back, hug, or a hand to hold. Don’t be surprised if the person you reach out to responds with, “I needed that!”
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the sense of touch. Help me to use my physical contact to display your love and care for others. May my gestures be healing rather than hurtful. Touch my heart so I can touch the hearts of others for you. Amen.
Further Reading:
Luke 17, Mark 1, 5, 7, and 8
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/perfectlab
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