Devotion: In Desperate Need of a Touch

By: Francis Banda

“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by “Him” and WITHOUT “Him” was not ANYTHING made was made that was made.”

This is John’s testimony on the DIVINITY of JESUS CHRIST. The Lord Jesus Christ is being referred to as “The Word” in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. The plainest reason for this analogy is simply because The Lord Jesus Christ came down from heaven by God’s decree in order to reveal the Father’s mind and the mysteries of The Kingdom of Heaven to mankind. Christ is the living word and THE WORD IS ALIVE TODAY!

John proves that Jesus Christ is God. The evangelist categorically asserts the Eternal Existence of Christ from the beginning (Hebrew word Bereishit/ Bereshith, which literally means “In the beginning”): His coexistence with God the Father, “The word was with God.” ALL THINGS WERE MADE BUT BY HIS MARVELOUS NAME, and not that Christ was a mere instrument in the process of creation; NO, BUT that Christ is God and the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

“Without Him was anything made that was made;” from the highest ranking ministering spirit or angel to the smallest rodent in the earth, from the highest mountains to the deepest seas, from the tallest trees to organisms unseen by our naked eyes, His hands formed the galaxies, the universe is full of His Glory, the birds of the air shout his Praises, and with His breath gave Man the life he constantly pervades and corrupts by his fallen Adamic nature. Everything was made by the Great I am.

The Evangelist clearly shows us why Jesus Christ is the only one qualified to be The All-Sufficient Savior. He is the all-consuming fire and, therefore, fit to bear our weight of SIN. The weight of the Cross was his burden and with it, He purchased our salvation. Our redemption was paid for in blood.

From eternity, He comes, and unto eternity reigns. This eternal word, this true light shines for all mankind to see and to be led off it, but the darkness comprehends it not.

Dearly beloved, let us stand desperately and steadfastly in the gap and in true faith. The Grace of God is so vast that we cannot contain it. The Living word, this eternal light will touch us, sustain us, purify our hearts, restore us in His eternal kingdom, and make us whole again.

We are living in the last days and the world around us is constantly changing. One can only be amazed and frightened at the state of global events. We have an ever-powerful God, yet nations are at war, countrymen are engaged in endless bloodbath, terror-stricken faces fleeing from war zones all over Europe, outbreaks of merciless epidemics, famine, starvation, and the collapsing of world economies.

We reach, we fail, and we fall because that is the human way. The time has come to realize that we are like “Naaman the Leper”. We are desperately in need of a supernatural touch, a helping hand, a healing hand, and a dynamic blueprint for our survival.

You see, touch changes a lot of things. Touch encourages the weak, it rejuvenate the hopeless, strengthens the feeble, gives hope to the weary, gives you comfort, tells you that you are not abandoned, that you are appreciated, and that you are worth the while. Everything starts with a simple touch, which is exactly what the world needs today.

Naaman was a great general and through his valiant nature, brought the king of Syria many victories. Everyone in the kingdom loved and revered Naaman. The king held him in highest of regard and honour He was the most esteemed military man, his comrades idolized him, civilians embraced him at every turn, children ran to touch his armor, they told colorful stories of his battles, and even his squire must have been beaming with pride to sharpen or clean his sword and dress him in his military regalia. I  can imagine the King of Syria embraced and greeted him with a kiss, let alone his wife and family. Naaman was used to being touched. It must have made him feel good.

The Bible says in 2 Kings 5:1,”Naaman, commander of the army of the King of Syria, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded because through him, the Lord of Hosts had given victory to Aram (Syria). He was also a great man of valor, BUT a Leper.”

Notice how those three little letters change the entire story. I believe Naaman was able to hide his leprosy in its earliest stage but it came to a point where he could no longer hide the pale spots on his body. His greatest achievements, wealth, prestige, position, and power could not protect him from fear that one-day he will fade away. His legacy was in jeopardy, “Naaman the Great” was quickly becoming “Naaman the Leper” and nothing could change that fact.

This generation is like Naaman. We have become very proficient at covering up our disfigurements and running away from the truth instead of “standing in the Gap, after accepting that we are in Desperate need of a healing touch.

In 2 Kings 5:2 we see a little slave girl who taken from Israel pointing Naaman in the right Direction. Often times Christians make God seem so difficult and unreachable because of our corrupt nature. We do not point people towards the Glorious Throne of God but rather lead them to the slaughter and destruction. This little girl, captive and enslaved in a foreign land had compassion enough to send Naaman to Prophet Elisha.

Naaman could have easily sent a platoon to descend on Israel and pick up Elisha BUT NO. He realized he was in desperate need of a healing touch and so he WENT DOWN to Israel and searched for Elisha. That is exactly where we ought to be, down on our knees and steadfastly searching for God’s grace. Humanity is disobedient as ever and loves to be in control. We have grown stiff leg and back muscles so much that we do not like to go down on our knees.

Naaman went down to Israel and searched until he found Elisha. Naaman went to the right place and the right person. Where do we GO when we face difficult situations, and who do we consult? Naaman came to a man who had the eternal “Word” living in him.

Being a big shot general in his country, Naaman was expecting to meet some big shot prophet in splendor like he was. He doubted simple and humble Elisha. The scientists and experts failed to treat him in Syria. He doubted dipping himself seven times in the muddy Jordan River would have any effect on his life. Oh the gullibility of man to assume that he knows better than God! Naaman was looking in the wrong direction. Perhaps there are people with Naaman’s attitude today. People who are always looking for first class treatment everywhere they go. Watch out beloved for God might send an ordinary man to touch you and you will miss your blessing because you are looking in the wrong direction.

Mind you prophets are not everyone’s favorite person. They don’t beat around the bushes or give us sweet musing for our ears. They zero at the core and call it by its name. They often offend and insult us in the process but they speak the truth according to God’s divine standard. Naaman did not care in the end because he was standing face to face with a disease that was going to kill him and in that moment he had to make a choice. He had to choose whether he wanted comfort or a cure.

Humility leads to obedience. Naaman realized that God claimed his obedience above all and he was ready to go an extra mile to receive his healing. The Almighty wants people who are willing to go the distance. He does not tie conditions to His supernatural touch or healing but simply tests our obedience. We may not fully comprehend how God operates but his ways are always the best.

Why MUST we always go downwards to receive a touch? Why MUST we always obey God? 1 Peter 5:4-6 says “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time.”

We simply have to die from all that is of this world to know and understand the kingdom and the mysteries of the kingdom of God. We have to look at death before we can see life, taste pain before we can experience and appreciate true joy, and humble ourselves to lowly places and people before we can feel the supernatural touch of God lifting us from the scrapes to the top. Naaman hit a bottom low and had to humble himself to go down a muddy river before God restored him.

Are you in need of a touch? Are you ready to go down a muddy river? Will you willingly Obey God’s command? Are you desperately in need for a touch? Will you go an extra mile to experience that touch and that changes your life forever, even when God says you have to humble yourself and wash in a dirty river?