Compassionate Heart

Colossians 3:11-13

Today's section was a continuation of the story of the leper. He is still seeking compassion and touch. He goes to where he used to live and looks upon his fields and the children playing there. That is where he decides to become bold and make a stand for what he desires. He sees a girl that makes eye contact with him and he thinks this girl is his daughter who is seeking to find her father. What a force to make us chase what we desire. As a dad of two daughters, I can understand that the desire to fulfil your children's wishes is strong. I would do everything in my power to make them happy. So he makes a choice, he is going to seek the Lord to ask him to heal his leprosy. When he sees the Lord he comes out from hiding and asks him to heal him with his words. The Lord speaks, "I will, be healed" This is enough for the man to be healed. But that isn't all that the man desires, and the Lord knows that. He yearns for the touch that he has been missing for five years. And without the man asking the Lord pulls him close to him and touches him. The power of a compassionate touch. This is what makes the man whole again. The words spoken alone could heal the disease, but His touch fulfilled the man's desires.

I want to share a personal story. That is what this blog has allowed me to do. It has given me a place to share and grow. This story is close to what is being discussed in the devotional today. Touch.

A few weeks ago at church I had the opportunity to talk to a young dad that came to service for the first time. He had been invited by friends and had made the decision to come early that day and meet with one of our staff members. He is my age but a totally different situation. He has 4 young children, and he is a single dad. So I can relate with the age and children, but I can not imagine having 4 and doing it on your own. What a man. And to handle himself the way he did I was in awe. So I walked him around and showed him our different ministry areas as we talked. We got his children checked into where they were supposed to be and he was on his way. I have prayed for him and his family many times over the past few weeks. I prayed that he would find a place that met him where he was and helped him in any way he needed. I prayed that his children would enjoy themselves and they would experience God in new ways. This Sunday he was on my mind. So during our first service I looked up his family in our computer system to see if his children were checked into our kids services, they were not. I was a little sad. So I prayed, and went on about my daily activities. Before the next service started I rounded the corner of the nursery and there he was. (As I typed that I got a little emotional all over again.) He was standing there with two of his friends. And when he saw me he immediately came over and shook my hand. I was overwhelmed. We shook hands and hugged like old friends. He said he came by to let us know he was there and excited about service this weekend. His 4 kids are young, but none are in the nursery at church, he just happened to be there right when I was. That was awesome. I checked the computer that day because just knowing they were there would have been fulfilling, but seeing him and that "touch" made it real.

So there is my story about how God is working in my life. How He is reaching out and touching me. I hope you all can acknowledge when He is doing the same for you.