A Second Touch

 

²² When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. ²³ Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”  ²⁴ The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” ²⁵ Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”-  Mark 8: 22-26

            We find in Mark 8 an interesting story of a blind man.   We know not whether he was blind since birth or whether he lost his sight through  an accident or a disease.   What we know is that Jesus heals him not once but twice.   First, we see Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and touch them.   When the man tells Jesus that he cannot see clearly, Jesus touches the man’s eyes a second time.   Through this second touch, the man is able to see clearly.   Immediately after this healing, we find the story of Peter exclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah, the son of God.

            Some can look at this story and focus on the fact that the man was not totally healed of his blind by the first touch of Jesus.   I choose a different focus and it is this:   it is not enough that we be touch by the Lord Jesus only once.   We need the touch of the Great Physician again.  

            Perhaps you can share a date or time or at a particular event  when you knew the touch of Christ to your life.   That surely is something to celebrate.      I don’t know about you, but I need the touch of Christ on my life not just once, but again and again.   If you need the touch of Christ again, I pray that you will receive it.  Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall  

 

PRAYER --  O God,  thank you for your marvelous, healing grace that touches us again and again.   Touch us, Lord, and transform us more fully into your presence; through   Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.