Is Jesus Too Busy?

 

As the aroma of coffee brewing permeated my kitchen that morning, there was a song going through my mind.

The song is called Reach Out, and Touch the Lord as He Walks By.

‘Haven’t heard this song in a long time, and I have no idea why it came to me then except that I had a plan for my morning.  After my coffee was sweetened and creamed, I planned was to sit down with Jesus and my Bible.

Because honestly, I needed a touch from Jesus.

There were burdens I was carrying and I didn’t want to carry them anymore.

There were fears I was wearing, and I didn’t want to wear them anymore.

There were sorrows hidden in my heart, and I didn’t want to hide them anymore.

I needed time with Jesus.

I just wanted to reach out and touch Him.

I didn’t remember all the verses to the song, so I  googled the song. (Isn’t Google a wonderful tool?!)

Interestingly, I found a combination of two sets of verses.  The first set of verses gives examples of people who met Jesus somewhere in Judea over 2,000 years ago.

People who were touched by Him, either literally or figuratively – or both.   These folks were made whole.  It’s one thing to be healed.  It’s another thing to be made whole.

I’m not saying that Jesus gives physical healing to anybody He touches. Sometimes He brings physical healing, but more often than not He brings healing to our souls.

Even though we can’t walk alongside Him on dusty roads, the touch of Jesus is as real today as it was when He walked on the earth.  We are not able to receive His physical touch, but we can still experience His touch.

There’s a story in the Bible about a woman who had “an issue of blood”.   She had this issue for twelve years, and no physician had been able to heal her.  In desperation one day, she told herself, “If I can only just touch His clothing . . . ”

 

So she pushed her way through the mob of people.  Amid the bustling and jostling of the crowd surrounding Jesus, she reached out and she touched the hem of His clothing.

The story tells us that immediately Jesus knew that virtue had passed out of Him.  He wanted to know who touched Him.

People were surprised that He would wonder, for weren’t there many folks jostling for a position next to Him?

Really, Jesus? Peter said. You’ve got all these people pushing against You, and You wonder who touched you?!

How could anyone know which one had touched Him?

But Jesus knew.  He told the woman, “Your faith has made you whole.”

She had tried everything there was to try.  She’d probably been to every doctor, looking for relief from her condition.  Twelve years she’d been seeking and searching with no answers and no relief.

I’m sure she had heard about this Jesus.  If I could only touch the hem of His garment . . . she told  herself.

So she did.  She touched – just the hem of His garment as he walked past her in the throng.

Does it seem there’s no hope for you?  Are you burdened, and weary, and tired of life and its struggles?

Do what this woman did.

Reach out.  Just touch Him.

He is not too busy, and He wants to hear your cry.

Your heartache, your sorrow, and your pain will be lifted.

Your heart will be restored.   You can be healed.

You can be whole.

If you would like to hear this song, go to this link.  There are several songs and several choices here.   I listened to #2 and #12.

Chorus:

Reach out and touch the Lord as He walks by;

You’ll find Him not too busy to hear you when your heart’s cry.

He is passing by this moment your needs to supply.

Reach out and touch the Lord as He walks by.

Verse 1 

Matthew sat in worldly honor taking tax from those who came,

When the Savior walked before him and called him by his name.

“Come and follow Me,” He whispered.  Not to stop and question why,

Matthew rose and followed Jesus as He walked by.

Verse 2

When upon the dusty roadside on His way to raise the dead,

Mighty was the throng that pressed Him hungry for the living Bread.

“I must touch him,” cried a women,” I must touch Him ere I die!”

She reached out and touched the Lord as He walked by.

 

The two additional verses are here:

Verse A

If your heart is sad and lonely, there’s no joy anywhere.

If there’s no one left to comfort, and there’s no one left to care.

Just cast your cares on Jesus and upon His arms rely,

And reach out and touch the Lord as He walks by.

Verse B

Though a stranger to the Master and His wonderful grace.

If you’ve never had the pleasure in beholding His face,

Would you lay aside earth’s treasures for a Home in the sky?

Then, reach out and touch the Lord  as He walks by.