The Heart of the Touch

As a pastor, I'm often confronted with an interesting paradox. On any given Sunday some people are moved to intense, deeply spiritual experiences with God while others seem to have not been in the same service. They don't get anything out of the service at all! Why is that?

I know that God speaks to each of us right where we are. I know that sometimes a certain word will touch a senstive spot on one person's heart where the person sitting next to him or her does not have that same sensitivity. But, in general, why do some people seem to get a touch from God when others don't while they're sitting in the same service hearing the same message?

I was reading Luke 8:40-48 a couple of days ago. This story of the bleeding woman, gives me some clues into why this paradox exists.

The story goes like this...

Jesus is on his way to touch a 12 year old Jewish girl who is dying. People are excited to see this spectacle. They are crowding around him with such energy that they "almost crushed him". (vs 42) The disciples were pushing and pulling, people were tugging and elbowing. It was a mad scene! Think...overcrowded mosh pit multiplied by 100!

In the midst of all of that touching, someone "touched" Jesus. It was a gentile woman who had suffered a bleeding disorder for 12 years. We know she's a gentile because a Jewish woman with bleeding was considered unclean and she would not have been amongst others. Immediately, power went out from Jesus and she was healed.

Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" Did he not know? He knew. He wanted for her, not just to touch him for a physical healing, but come out from hiding (Gen. 3:8-9) and touch him for a spiritual healing as well. Jesus knew when he's been "touched"!

Peter was amazed. "Lord, give me a break!!! Everyone is touching you! Everyone is banging and slamming against you! Look at this crowd! This is nuts! How can you say someone touched you?" "It was the power, Peter. Power came out of me."

The difference was in the power and the power came because of a different heart. The heart of the touch makes all the difference.

Many people draw near to see the circus, join the parade or be a part of the event. Others are desperate. Some touch Jesus and don't even recognize they've been in His presence. Some don't care about anything else but touching Jesus. He's the focus. He's the end all. He's the only answer. It's all in the heart of the touch.

Sometimes I don't even feel Jesus in my own services and I'M THE PASTOR!!! It's not that God isn't there. It's that my heart isn't searching for Jesus. I can go throughout a whole day and miss Jesus altoghether. I am ashamed to admit that. Oh I'm doing Jesus things. I'm studying, counseling, teaching, bumping and slamming into Jesus all over the place. But I'm not feeling Jesus. It's the heart of my touch that is my problem. Other times I see Jesus in everything, the good and the bad. It's because my heart is searching for him. The heart of my touch is different in those occasions.

What is the heart of your touch? Are you in the crowd, near him, even touching him but not really touching him? He is available to be touched if your heart really wants to touch him. It's all in the heart of the touch.