“When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ’Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” [Matthew 8:1-4]

Lepers back then were the “Untouchables” basically. People considered them the dirtiest of all and absolutely helpless. Nobody wanted to be near them. Everyone ran away from lepers while Jesus gladly touches them. I like how the verse says Jesus told the leper that He is willing to clean him. As if He was saying “Yes, it is in my Will to cleanse you. Especially because you have great faith.” Jesus not only touched the leper in an external aspect, but internal as well.

Jesus touched the leper’s heart. He made the leper feel real love. He made him feel acceptance. The leper came to Jesus with a need and Jesus met it in abundance. Jesus wants to do the very same with us. He is willing to touch us and cleanse us. We just have to be willing as well and have faith in God. We have to believe God can touch us. With just a single touch of Him, God can show us a whole new world. There is so much a single touch of God can do. It can bring healing. It can bring restoration. It can bring so many blessings.

God not only wants us to run and touch Him. He also wants us to run an touch the “untouchables.” Jesus came to do it. We are called to be like Jesus. We should be willing to touch those in need. There may be a cost to touching them, but God says He will reward us for taking care of His people. Just like He takes care of us, we have to take care of others. That is the second greatest commandment: to love our neighbor. Love is action. Love goes deeper than external touch. A simple touch is all it takes. 

Lord, I want to have total faith in You. I want to fully trust and believe You can heal, restore, and raise the dead to life once again. Thank You for constantly meeting me at my place of need. I pray I touch those I come in contact with like You touch me. May my love for others grow and grow each day. Lord, I pray for the courage to stand up for those who others refuse to touch. For those who need to be shown a love like Yours. I want to be more like You. I want to feel Your touch every day. I want to touch You every day. I pray You touch others like You’ve touched me. Please open the eyes of the blind. Heal the brokenhearted. Find and save the lost. I have loved ones that are in need of Your touch. Help me touch them for You.