The Touch Of His Hand
The mob pressed upon him. Literally thousands of persons were trying to touch him or catch another glimpse of him as he passed by. Then suddenly his limousine stopped and he stepped forth to be immediately thronged by hundreds who wanted only to touch his hand.
This was the scene on the evening of October 19,1970. The place: downtown Kansas City. The person: President Richard M. Nixon. I was in that mob along with my wife and two younger children, Karen and Terry. When the president stepped from his limousine he had just passed us and my wife and children rushed toward him and were able to shake his hand, but before I could reach him the mob had pressed between us.
As I witnessed this scene and saw how multitudes pressed upon the president hoping to touch his hand, and as I saw the great thrill it brought to my own family as they touched his hand (and later as they reflected upon having done such) I thought of another scene that took place hundreds of years ago. It was in the beginning of the personal ministry of Jesus. He was accompanying Janus to his house where his daughter was at the point of death, and much people followed him, and thronged upon him. There was a certain woman in the multitude which had suffered from a blood disease for twelve years. She had consulted different physicians, and had spent all that she had, but was getting worse. When she heard of Jesus she pressed upon him from behind and "touched his garment." For she had said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. She was immediately healed. Jesus turned and said, Who touched me. The woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him and told him all the truth. Jesus said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. (Mark 5:22-34).
Thomas once said, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." Meaning he would not believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It was a week later when Jesus appeared unto his disciples, Thomas being present, and said unto Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." And Thomas said, "My Lord and my God." Jesus said unto him "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20: 24-29)
Though we cannot feel the touch of his hand or even touch his garment, yet our faith in Jesus can make us whole. Not from a physical view point, but in a spiritual sense. Jesus is ready to save us from our sins. (Luke 19:10) He is able to save all that come unto God by him. (Hebrews 7:25) But it is by faith that we come unto Jesus and receive the salvation that only He can give. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. . . and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:26-29)
We cannot see Jesus today. We cannot feel the touch of his hand. But we can believe that he is the Son of God who died for our sins and who was raised from the dead. John wrote, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:30-31)
Someday we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the things we have done in this body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10) Then we shall see him face to face. In the mean time will you believe in Him as the Son of God; repent and be baptized in his name for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38); by faith serve him in this life (2 Cor. 5:7); and though you cannot feel the touch of his hand, you can know he is with you, "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5) After all, isn't the continued fellowship of Jesus to be more highly sought than a fleeting "touch of his hand" for a moment. The touch of his hand you cannot have but his fellowship is yours for the seeking.
— Box 204 Butler, Mo.