Deeper Dive
God of Touch
“Let’s begin with the most basic identity you should have of God: God is Touched.
He also cares that He is recognized as being both authentic and genuine and is recognized as nothing less. He cares about the accurate perception of who He is and has endeavored to express Himself in ways that can be comprehended as true to Himself and exactly as He has revealed Himself to be. He is nothing short of Supreme and Distinct — like nothing else.
And He cares personally, is touched by and is touching lives that are open to His touch, who welcome relationship with Him on His terms.”
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”1
This is not a god aloof but the God involved, entering in with us, having lived among us and yet still sinless and able to bring us back into relationship with Himself. “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”2
Jesus’s ministry to the masses was most frequently to the needs rather than the curiosities. Those who needed His touch received it openly while the ‘religious’ sought signs, wonders and acceptance of their traditions. He was touched by the plight of the common condition of man and came into our midst to change the destiny. He readily saw the unspoken need of those who came to Him for healing of the physical such that He went beyond the apparent and give the eternal.
When the crowds came to Him in remote areas, He was unwilling to send them away hungry and so provided food. The Apostle Paul wrote that, “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”3 While He didn’t promise to give you ‘stuff’ He did promise to give everything you need for faith and godliness according the values of His eternal kingdom.
FOOTNOTES:
1 Hebrews 4:15,16 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/heb/4/15/t_conc_1137015
2 Romans 5:7,8 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/rom/5/7/t_conc_1051007
3 Philippians 4:19 (ESV) – https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/phl/4/19/t_conc_1107019