Human Touch

Are you a hugger? I am. Many of us delight in the closeness of human touch. And through this lockdown, many of us have felt starved of its comfort.

We’ve seen friends and family on screen- just 2D.  But to meet face to face, to feel the warmth of a hug, well, I wonder if its lack will make us appreciate it more. 

A friend of ours is a widower and has been alone for about 3 months.  His granddaughter had a baby and invited him to her home.  When he arrived she handed him his new great-grandson. It was the first human touch he had felt for 3 months.  Imagine his double joy- cradling the precious child and feeling the warmth of his little body against his own. 

Human touch is one of the first sensations we feel after we are born isn’t it?

We emerge into this world and are lifted up on to our mother’s chest, skin to skin. The warmth, the closeness, the human touch is calming and reassuring.

And it is at the end of life too. I sat and held my mothers hand as she died, my last loving connection with her as she passed away. I hope someone is able to hold my hand as I die, so I feel the transfer of love through their touch. 

We were made for connection with others. God designed us that way. Most of us thrive as children as we feel the loving embrace of a parent.  And as we grow, friends put an arm around our shoulder, link arms or hold our hand- signs of affection and togetherness.

But do you know the most precious human touch of all? Well it happened when the son of God, Jesus, reached down into human history 2000 years ago and became a man himself.

Jesus’ life story is recorded for us in God’s storybook, the Bible.  Although he was so special, he interacted with broken people, shared their lives, showed compassion and brought relief to many.

One incident shows this beautifully.

Jesus met a leper. He was ostracised because of his contagious and disfiguring disease. Imagine what it must have been like for him.

He had to live outside the town and shout ‘unclean unclean’ if anyone came near. As the nerves in his hands and feet slowly wasted away, he probably hadn’t felt human touch for years.

Yet when he heard that Jesus was in town, he came and fell with his face to the ground and begged him ‘Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean’

Those standing nearby would have been horrified and may have expected Jesus to step away in disgust.

But do you know what Jesus did? He reached out his hand and touched him Woh! Jesus did what no one else would dare or condescend to do.

Imagine the man’s shock.  Then Jesus said, ‘I am willing, be clean’ and immediately the leprosy left him. His body was healed. The sensation returned to his hands and he felt the delight of physical contact again. Jesus’ touch had opened up a lifetime of   closeness for him, bringing comfort and restoring his connection with humanity.  

In our present circumstances we hunger for touch but what we really need is a touch from Jesus that gives not just comfort but cleansing.

Jesus doesn’t shrink away from us. He sees that our hearts and minds are damaged by a disease that causes us to reject God and his loving rule.  He willingly reaches out to us in our isolation and brokenness today and invites us to receive his healing touch.

Human touch is precious but Jesus’ touch is extraordinary.

Human touch is fleeting but his cleansing touch lasts for eternity.

Like the leper, if we ask for his help, his outstretched hand welcomes us to him.  

Will you take his hand today and feel the cleansing touch of Jesus?

Anne Cockram

Anne is a married mother of three children with 6 lovely grandchildren. She became a Christian as a teenager and has also had the privilege of being a midwife for 40 years.