Inspiration
A Healing Touch
“ Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Luke 8:45
J esus healed many people during his time on earth in many different ways. Sometimes he spoke and they were healed. But many times he touched them or they reached out and touched him. In the gospels we find the story of a girl and a woman, both touched by Jesus. A woman who suffered a condition for 12 years, as many years as the girl had been alive. The girl was at the point of death when her father pleaded with Jesus to come to his house. The other had been dying a slow death for years, bleeding to death, and having to press through the crowd on the hope of healing. There is something very essential in touch for the human condition. If we are not touched, if we don’ t have human contact, something in us shrivels up and dies. We cannot be healthy emotionally or physically without touch. Researchers have found that touch can help prevent and fight disease, reduce stress, boost immunity, encourage growth in babies and ease pain and depression. But just as there are positive and beneficial results of touch, there are negative touches. Some of us have had some negative touches in our lives. Some people and things have touched us who had no right to touch us. We have been touched by abuse— physical, sexual and verbal. There’ s also been some things that we have initiated contact with. Some relationships we know we should not have been in. Some contact we should not have made that has contaminated us. Many of us are recovering from the things that have touched us, that have come in contact with us and brought depression, low self-esteem and devastation to our lives. Like the woman with the issue of blood and Jairus’ daughter, we need a touch from Jesus. What happened when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus? Virtue went out of Jesus. That word virtue means power. Her touch of faith released power— healing power. The woman reached out and touched the tassel at the end of his garment. The tassel was a reminder of the commandments, God’ s Word. The power was not in the tassel, the hem of his garment. The power is in the Word. And the Word was God. The Word was walking. The Word was talking. The Word is Jesus. The power is in Jesus. Jesus didn’ t let the woman fade away into the crowd. Because with your healing you have a responsibility to be a witness and give your testimony. In the presence of all the people she told why she had touched him and how she had been healed. Then he gave her a blessing. He said,“ Go in peace. Your faith has healed you.” After the woman with the issue of blood was healed, the news came that Jairus’ daughter was dead. Jesus went to Jairus’ house. When Jesus told them the little girl was not dead, but just asleep, they laughed. They knew the girl was dead. Some people might have said you were dead. They gave up hope for you. But you’ re a living testimony. Jesus took the girl by the hand and told her to get up. Her spirit returned and she stood up. If you need healing today, reach out and touch the Word. Get to know Jesus. He is willing and able. Reach out in faith. The result will be a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and healing for your body and soul.
34 The Well Magazine / Spring 2013