The Haugh Herald

Wycliffe Bible Translator’s presidents and his wife share a message of HOPE: Confident Expectation!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas! Ken and Anne

Distancing socially means distancing physically. We’ve all limited touching others for the last 6 months and it is not a good thing other than keeping us alive [tongue in cheek].

I’ve often read that a person needs about 13 touches and hugs a day in order to thrive. We may survive without them, but we won’t thrive. I for one, am looking forward to giving warm hugs to others, especially my single friends who might not be getting enough these days.

Jesus did a lot of touching in his short three years of ministry. My friend, Diana, made this list of all of them from the Gospels.

• Mtt. 8:3 (A leper) “Jesus reached out His hand and touched him.”
• Mtt 8: 15 (Peter’s mother-in-law) “He reached out and touched her hand.”
• Mtt 9:25 (Jairus’ daughter) “He went in and took the girl by the hand.”
• Mtt 14:31 (Peter) “Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.”
• Mtt 17:7 (Peter, James and John) “But Jesus came and touched them.”
• Mtt. 19:15 (the children) “When He had placed his hands on them, He went on from there.”
• Mtt 20:34 (Two blind men) “Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.”
• Mark 1:31 (Peter’s mother-in-law) “So He went up to her, took her hand and helped her up.”
• Mark 1:40 (the man with leprosy) “He reached out HIs hand and touched the man.”
• Mark 5:41 (Jairus’ daughter) “He took her by the hand…”
• Mark 7:33 (the deaf mute) “Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.”
• Mark 8:23 (the blind man) “He took the blind man by the hand…and put His hands on him…Once more Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes.”
• Mark 9:26 (the demon possessed boy) “But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet.” 
• Mark 9:36 (the little child) “Taking the child in his arms…”
• Mark 10:16 (little children) “And He took the children in His arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them)
• Luke 4:40 (the people who were sick) “and laying hands on each one, He healed them.”
•  Luke 5:13 (the leper) “Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.”
• Luke 7:14 (the dead man from Nain) “Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on.”
• Luke 8:9 (Jairus’ daughter) “But He took her by the hand..”
• Luke 13:14 (the bent over woman) “then He put His hand on her.”
• Luke 14:4 (a man suffering from abnormal swelling in his body) “so taking hold of the man, He healed him.”
• Luke 22:51 (Malchus) “And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.”
• John 9:6 (the blind man) “He made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man’s eyes.” 
• John 13:5 (the disciples) “…began to wash the disciple’s feet”
• John 20:27 (Thomas) “Reach out your hand and put it in my side” 

What can we do when we can’t physically touch people? Phone calls, coffee from afar, have them over for dinner on your back porch, write a note….

I know that reading the Bible each day I feel a touch from God when He speaks to me in the way I need to hear it most. Jesus touches me with Joy when I think about spending eternity with God because Jesus died on the cross for me.

How can we touch others this week?

What do you think Jesus would do during a pandemic?