Personally touched
The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down....you satisfy the desire of every living thing. Psalm 145:14+16b (ESV)
- The Lord holds us
- He lifts up the downcast
- The Lord opens his hand and satisfies us
1. What does a touch do?
Far more than the senses of sight or smell, the sense of touch is intertwined with the psyche, said psychologist Martin Grunwald.
The need to touch and be touched is deeply rooted in people. In premature babies, touch promotes growth, and it gives older people closeness and security. But researchers have found that people are touching each other less and less.
2. The skin is the largest sensory organ in humans
It contains millions of highly sensitive sensors that report whenever something happens on the skin:
- A breath of air on my arm
- a drop of sweat on the forehead
- or unannounced pain all over the body
3. A comforting touch
As a young boy, Henry had bone tuberculosis. When his condition worsened, the doctor wanted to perform an operation. Dr. Hodgen accommodated him by allowing his father to be present at the operation. Before he was put under anesthesia, he asked the doctor: Can I see my father again?
The assistant took off the mask, and his father smiled confidently at him and took his hand in his and said, "Be brave Henry, everything will be all right. I will stay with you. His father's care had calmed him down. When Henry woke up after the operation, his father was still there.
In the same way, Our Father in heaven also regrets when we are in need. He has promised to take us by the hand and be with us in difficult hours.
We can rely on his help and live joyfully and confidently in this world of suffering and crisis. Our earthly future is uncertain, but God gives us the comforting promise: I myself will go before you and let you come to rest! According to Exodus 33:14
God knows your yesterday, give him your today. He takes care of your morning.
(Ernst Modersohn)
4. God's Unconditional Love
One biblical story that inspires us in profound ways is that of the prodigal son. It is a parable from the Gospel, according to Luke 15 and is one of the most famous stories of Jesus.
One father had two sons. The younger demands his inheritance in order to lead a dissolute life in a distant land. He squanders his entire fortune and falls into great famine. Now he is forced to herd pigs.
Finally, he realizes his mistakes and returns to his father to ask him for forgiveness and to work as a day laborer. The father sees him from afar, runs to meet him, embraces him full of joy and celebrates his return with a big party.
We see in it God's unconditional love, who welcomes his children with open arms, regardless of their faults. The prodigal son stands for people who distance themselves from God, come to their senses, and find their way back again.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:24 (ESV)
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:24 (ESV)
5. A New Creation
This story of the Bible and many others invite us to reflect on God's character and deepen our relationship with Him. They remind us that
that we are a new creation in Christ, and in close communion with God
To be allowed to live.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14 (ESV)
Author: Egon Waechter
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