Desperate for Your Touch

Recently a friend asked me to pray for a specific body of women. She asked that I pray they begin loving each other again. As I prayed, I received revelation that there’s an order to love. The biblical order (and greatest commandment), as Jesus stated in Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV):
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

It is clear to me that this type of love is unnatural to our fleshly being. How can you love with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind that which you cannot see? In a sense, we are blinded from birth, to what we desperately need for survival and cohabitation. As most individuals who are blind – without sight, we become reliant on our non-visual senses, and most dominantly, the tactile skill of touch.

God, in His is infinite wisdom and grace, would give us all non-visual senses (hearing, taste, smell and touch), because He knows we are often blinded to that which we do see. As referenced by Romans 1:19-20, all of Creation visually points to the invisible qualities and eternal and divine nature of God, yet some still deny His existence.

We often rely on our other senses as a conduit to our seeing, knowing and loving God: “Oh taste and see the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8); and (Romans 10:17) “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God”.

The Bible makes clear our other God-given senses at work. Jesus’ ministry often dealt in the sensory of touch - His touching others and others touching Him. “So God had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him” (Matthew 20:34); “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him and touched the hem of His garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole” (Matthew 9:20-21).

As human beings, we need to touch and be touched. From the very beginning of Creation, in the Garden of Eden, God was present, as He desires our fellowship with Him. Our very praise and worship touches the heart of God. God pulled the rib from man, creating woman, because it is not right that man should be alone. (God instituted marriage for men and women to touch intimately. God allows singleness for men and women to rely on the intimate touch of God, Himself.) God created us to touch and be touched! Studies reveal that many serial criminals who have executed unnatural and heinous crimes, have lacked the foundational loving touch from a parent, and/or have been, from a very young age (even prenatally), touched improperly.

God knows that we cannot love Him in the manner which He commands, unless He first touches our heart, soul and mind. It is only by Him that we love Him and through Him, therefore, loving ourselves and others. For when we love Him as He commands, it is a spiritual love that transcends our natural sight and feelings. We begin to see ourselves and others as God Himself sees us – as His! Uniquely and wonderfully made; Created in the very image of God (perfect and perfected in Him); Confident and competent; Strong, courageous and fearless; Healed and whole – nothing lacking. When I see myself fully through God’s Love Lens, I am steadfast and unmovable. It removes my need to compare myself to any other, I can rejoice with others, without reservation and judgment; I can freely and openly encourage and edify; I can love and be loved; I can give, and most importantly, I can receive!

Ha! Now that’s joy through freedom! No one takes it away from me; I give it, for if I give it, I can surely receive it! (That’s another blog entry)…

Prayer: Father, you are far in Heaven, but as near as my heart. Though I cannot see you visibly, I acknowledge and love you by that which I do see. Today, I diligently move through the multitude of “stuff”, the distractions trying to keep me from getting to your touch, with my issues; for the multitude has become as equal a hindrance as the issues themselves. I’m desperate for your touch – touch me Lord Jesus. Touch my heart, my soul and my mind. Saturate me with your Holy Spirit and perfect love, the only true love which covers the multitude of sins – those I have committed and those committed against me (knowingly and unknowingly). With your love, help me to forgive myself and others. Help me to open my hands and heart to give, for by doing, so, I make room to receive. And this is why you have said the giving is more blessed than the receiving (sigh of relief).
I love you Lord, because you first loved and TOUCHED me. In Jesus’ name – Amen.