Touching God

As seen in the  "The Heartbeat" and published in the Hot Springs Village Voice

Here is a question which may be a little controversial to some: have we lost the joy of in-store shopping and buying? Those of us who have been around a while can remember as a child going to the department store and seeing all the excitement of the season. Some of my favorite memories were going to the general store with my grandparents. It was a big, old rock building with hardwood floors. Even in my small stature, the floors would creak as I walked on them. And then there was the farmer’s coop with all the smells of feed, flowers, and the old guys sitting around smoking pipes and trying to one-up each other with their stories.

In-person shopping holds an advantage over on-line shopping – touch, sight, and feel. It’s hard to try a pair of shoes on when they’re on the computer screen, or make sure the color of a garment is just what you need. Of course, there is "no cost returns" with on-line purchasing, but are we neglecting all our senses shopping this way. As you can tell, I like the experience of shopping local and the "touch".

God the Son took on human form, became a man, and walked among us. People could touch Him, hear His voice, and experience the fullness of their senses just by being around Him, not to mention their "heart sense." People were physically touched by Jesus many times especially when He performed miracles. There is also record of a woman being immediately healed of a terrible disease just by touching the hem of his garment.

We may be envious of those who could touch, see, and hear Jesus. But don’t discount the experiences we have today too quickly. Certainly, it would be a dream come true to walk and talk with my Savior and feel my heart burn inside me as did the men on the way to Emmaus. But even with all the encounters people had with Jesus, once He left them the contact stopped.

We read a conversation Jesus is having with the Heavenly Father in John 17: 23 and 24. It reads, "…I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me— that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me." Think about these words for a moment. Jesus has given us the glory He himself received from the Father, and therefore we are perfectly united with the Trinity through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

While we cannot touch God the Son, we have God the Holy Spirit in us. So, I guess I’ve proven my own argument wrong! With the Holy Spirit in us, we are constantly touching God every second of every day! That should give us a peace that passes all understanding! Amen!

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