Topic: PHYSICAL TOUCH – Bishop Mike Okonkwo Devotional 11 february 2023 The Redeemed Evangelical Mission

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PHYSICAL TOUCH

“And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Matthew 8:3 (KJV)

In today’s scripture, Jesus did what ordinarily no one would have done. A leper reached out to Him, and He touched him. You may just read this in a hurry and miss the point. In Bible days, lepers are not allowed in the city, they are banished outside the city until they are not just healed but pronounced clean by the priest, yet Jesus reached out His hands and touched him. Jesus took a risk; He knew that touch meant more to the man who had been banished from the town than any other language and He connected with him. Sometimes, you get out of your comfort zone to reach out to those around you.

However, physical touch, unlike giving and words of affirmation can be very sensitive. Remember, our scripture yesterday talks about wisdom; do not go around hugging people in a bid to show them the love of God. Everyone does not appreciate it, so what is the civil thing to do, be generous with a warm handshake. Even at this, culture has a part to play. In some cultures, you don’t extend your hand to shake a lady, except if she extends her hands first. Therefore, you must understand the culture of your environment. In the same vein, know your spouse, sometimes just a hug relieves all the tension, while to some others, a hug is nothing but another form of greeting. So, know your spouse, know your children, and learn to speak their language.

For those who value touch, a hug, a pat on the shoulder, or a warm handshake is to them like a cup of cold water in the heat of the sun, if your spouse or children fall in this category, learn to speak that language too. The woman with the Alabaster box combined giving with touch, she broke the Alabaster box and emptied it on Jesus, what a show of love. Touch hardly walks alone, even in our text for today Jesus touched the leper and then spoke.

Further Reading: Matthew 8:1-3; Luke 7:36-49

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Leviticus 11-12; Evening- Matthew 26:1-25

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