Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images from Elvis Presley singing the Gaither classic … He Touched Me … poignantly singing of the reality of what happens when one is “touched” by the grace of God in/through our Savior.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 5:12-13 … [NLT] …
12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” … 13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
… Jesus was willing to reach out and touch even a leprous outcast. Who are we willing to reach out today and touch with our lives, our testimony, … or a simple hug?
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 5:12-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Luke relates the encounter where Jesus reached out an touched (and healed) a leper.
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Reference Passage #1 [NKJV] : … John 13:5 [NLT] …
5 … Then [Jesus] began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
… If Jesus is willing to wash our feet, who will we reach out to touch with His love today?
Reference Passage #2 [NKJV] : … Galatians 6:10 [NLT] …
10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
… When we have an opportunity today to touch someone’s life with God’s love … will we?
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mart DeHaan, used a news story about an older woman’s frightful willingness to reach out and touch someone with motherly love. The ODB author wrote: Commuters on a Canadian Metro train witnessed a heart-moving conclusion to a tense moment. They watched as a 70-year old woman gently reached out and offered her hand to a young man whose loud voice and disturbing words were scaring other passengers. The lady’s kindness calmed the man who sank to the floor of the train with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thanks, Grandma,” stood up, and walked away. The woman later admitted to being afraid. But she said, “I’m a mother and he needed someone to touch.” While better judgment might have given her reason to keep her distance, she took a risk of love.
Fellow Christian readers, … I’m assuming that we’ve all been touched by Jesus’ willingness to reach out to those, as was the leper in the highlight account or an outcast like me when He came after me, … i.e, those whom others would rather not even look at.
Those with leprosy in Jesus’ day were total outcasts, even required - by Jewish law - to walk about declaring loudly, “Unclean!” And when Jesus was approached by a desperate leper seeking healing [see highlight passage], … what did Jesus do? He didn’t hesitate, did He? No, our Lord simply reached out in love and touched the man, healing this outcast immediately.
He did that to me too a little over 35 years ago. No, I wasn’t a leper; but my sins had covered me with open sores of shame and I became untouchable to some. But not Jesus! He came after me; and He was willing to hug me with His love and grace? And my friend, the least I can do, if I’m given the opportunity today, is to respond to His touch by reaching out and touching others, … maybe with my testimony … or even a hug.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … dear Lord, … thank You for touching me with Your love and truth today in my morning time with You. And I do pray that You give me at least one opportunity to touch someone today with Your love through my touch. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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