Where do you need and long for restoration? Do you find yourself wishing it could be you who is being touched by His hands of love?

Luke 13: 10-17

Verse 13                             And He laid His hands upon her; and immediately she was made erect again, and began glorifying God.

Jesus frees her from her sickness that has bound her for 18 years.  Then He lays his hands upon her.  I have to wonder how and where He touched her.  I have said before that so little is communicated by words…. How much more about the senders’ motive and heart in the matter, is communicated by the touch of another person.

I am very aware of the need that all people have to be touched in ways that communicate to them how much they are loved and valued because I myself need that kind of touch.  I live alone, and even though I am an approachable person, I am very rarely touched by others.  Perhaps it’s the American way.  We need our space you know!  I learned that in a study done long ago on babies, that the ones who were not touched and held regularly became ill and in some cases died.  I have to believe that the size or age of ones body is irrelevant to such human need.  I make it a practice to have a professional body massage regularly for the purpose of caring for myself with regard to this very issue.

Its also worth noting that the more difficult a person is to look at, the less likely it is that he or she will be touched by anyone at all!  The woman in our story who was bent over double must have been very hard to look at.  Her grotesque deformity would have that affect of naturally isolating her from the people whom she most desperately needed.  Jesus knew her need and in freeing her from the bondage of illness and pain, He also laid His hands on her and completely restored her to the position that is the normal status of women.

…and immediately she was made erect again.

Where do you need and long for restoration? Do you find yourself wishing it could be you who is being touched by His hands of love?  The fact is that today, He is here with those of us who believe and those who don’t believe as well, but He is a spirit.  The hands that touch are the ones that belong to those in whom He dwells as Lord and Master.  We Christians ARE the hands of Jesus to those around us!

Lord,  Touch those whom You love and are healing today through my hands.  Convey to them all that is in Your heart and mind as I live out this day as Your servant vessel.  Amen