The touch of their God

And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God], Ezekiel 11:19 AMP

Last night my daughter was worshipping God at a conference. She told me that she had put her hands out during the worship time, and had felt God touching her hands. Her words were, "It was weird and .... amazing."  I am so grateful to God for showing His love to her in this way, and secondly for the restoration work He has done in her life. She has been given a tender tangible reminder that God loves her.

As I have been thinking more about her experience of receiving a touch from God, I have been reading some of the accounts in Matthew of Jesus tangibly touching people, healing and restoring them.

And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed. Matthew 8:3 AMP

He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on Him. Matthew 8:15 AMP

Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you; Matthew 9:29 AMP

In Matthew there are also accounts of people who reached out to Jesus, expecting to be change when they touched Him.

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;

For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.

Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health. Matthew 9:20-22 AMP

And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent around into all the surrounding country and brought to Him all who were sick

And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored. Matthew 14:35-36 AMP

Sometimes I think we can get into the habit of doing things a certain way, particularly in the way we worship. It can be easy to forget what it is like to have a tangible touch from God, an encounter with the Almighty God, maker of the heavens and earth. My daughter's experience has reminded me to always enter into worship with an open and expectant heart, ready to reach out to God with all my love and gratitude, and ready to receive His touch.

Question for today, when was the last time you received a 'touch' from God? Maybe you have never had an experience like I have described above. If that is the case, why not play some worship music, lay down all your preconceptions of who God is, what God does, how God loves us, and just come to Him like a child, trusting and expectant of His touch. Reach out to Him and wait.

And they kept bringing young children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples were reproving them [for it].

But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me—do not forbid or prevent or hinder them—for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all.

And He took them [the children upone by one] in His arms and [fervently invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them. Mark 10:13-16 AMP