When they tried to board my bus there were three steps with grab bars. I tried to coax the woman to mount the stairs but she was very fearful. She was not familiar with the stairs. I took her arm to help guide her but she resisted. Her husband, who had enough sight to see an image of the stairs stepped forward and tried to explain the stairs, guiding her hands to the grab bar, again she was resisting. Then I saw a slight smile come across the husband’s face and he put his arms around her and she just sort of fell into his arms, wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her up and carried her onto the bus.

 

The immediate thought that crossed my mind was that she knew her husband’s touch, mine she did not know and resisted but when she recognized her husband’s touch she just completely gave herself into his care fully trusting in him to safely bring her into the bus and out of it when we got to our destination.

Being on the autistic spectrum I know about touching, I can’t handle being touched and will avoid a person’s touch, especially a hug. But I do know God’s touch, I feel safe in his touch. People can tell the difference in a touch. You know if someone touches you in a hostile way or if it is a friendly touch. You know the touch of someone who loves you and you long for that touch.

 

This group of men in I Samuel 10:26 knew the touch of God for a touch reaches to your heart. When I drive my disability bus I often know when God is calling me to share His message with someone. As I’m driving to pick up a passenger, I suddenly feel a touch, the touch of His consuming passion. I know His touch, I recognize His touch and that is the one touch I will give myself over to like this wife did with her husband.

 

The word touch in Hebrew is naga’ which means to touch both physically and metaphorically. In Semitic culture, a touch was often associated with the transfer of power. That is why I know and recognize the touch of God as His touch reaches my heart and transfers His power and I know at that point God has entrusted me with a new assignment, a sacred trust to accomplish a task. He doesn’t give me His touch just to feel good, but to carry out a mission.

Next time you suddenly feel the presence of God, don’t accept it for selfish, feel-good reasons but as God calling you to an assignment. That naga’ is a transference of power, use it for His sake.

We will be discussing this on Monday’s Hebrew/Aramaic Bible Study and Discussion. You can sign up at www.hebrewwordstudy.com