REACHING TOUCH

REACHING TOUCH
Reach down your hand from on high
Psalms 144:7 (NIV)

Jesus reached out his hand and touched
Matthew 8:3 (NIV)

Marc and I left the house while the desert still lay slumbering beneath a blanket of stars.  I was walking our 4-year old golden retriever Teddy while Marc walked our 5 month-old golden retriever puppy Gracie.  She was heeling nicely right by his side, not pulling ahead or falling behind.  I noticed as they walked that Gracie was constantly looking up at her master.  And then I saw it…Marc stretched his hand downward and touched Gracie’s nose.  Oh how she loved that.  She was practically prancing with joyful puppy feet. She constantly looked up and she also would stretch her head upward to meet her master’s hand that was constantly reaching down to touch her.  I carefully tucked the image into a quiet corner of my heart as we continued our walk.

A short time later found me sitting on the patio with His Book open in front of me.  I was reading some verses that talked about the Lord’s reaching touch.  I looked toward the east as the sun peered over the eastern mountains, its light chased night’s lingering shadows across the desert dawn.  The warmth fell across my face and I thought to myself that even the sun greeting the day is God reaching down to touch me with His kindness.  This thought reminded me of Marc and Gracie and I hurried to the corner of my heart and tenderly retrieved the image I had so carefully tucked away of a master’s reaching touch.  I took the image with me and hurried to the Well to talk with Him who said He would always be within reach of those who are His.  I found Him there just as He promised.

“Lord,” I began, as I rushed into His presence, holding up the image of Marc reaching down to touch Gracie’s nose while she joyfully reached up to meet the touch of her master.  “it reminds me of the way You reach down to touch my life—my very heart.  I love reaching back.”  My brow furrowed as another thought crossed my mind, “Lord, I sometimes get distracted and I forget to reach back.  Instead of lifting my heart to meet Your gaze and Your touch, I am looking at troubles or even the good things that You have provided.  I totally miss out on that sweet walk—Your touch that sends my soul to prancing.”

He took me to Psalm 144:7 and Matthew 8:3 that talked about His reaching touch.  Then we talked about the day ahead as the clock rudely announced it was time to get busy.  As I opened the door into a world filled with distractions, I felt it…His touch on my heart.  I looked up as He reached down.  His reaching touch set my heart to prancing.

An Original Conversations at the Well
© Copyright by Diana Morgan November 6, 2012