From Typewriters to Touch Screens

            My husband has affectionately started teasing me about just how much technology I personally possess. We are both surprised at how many compute type gadgets that I own. (All of which he bought me, by the way!) I love my gadgets and I use every single one of them for different purposes. My phone has become my computer away from home, which I need greatly right now as I continue to volunteer in the worship ministry at our church. My laptop is has become my third arm I think! Then I have a couple of other gadgets for listening to my favorite worship music, studying the Bible and reading my favorite books and devotions. That’s a lot of gadgets! I used to think that one of my pastor friends had the most gadgets ever, but I think I might have surpassed him! I love my gadgets!

Back in the day, when my husband and I first got married, we both worked full time and he was in school full time. In the evenings when he was working, I would volunteer to type up his college papers…on an old fashioned typewriter. Any of you remember those?? They were loud, clunky and a bit hard to type on. You had to change out paper and cartridges quite often. If you wanted a copy, you had to add carbon paper! Well, technology has come a long ways since then and now just about everything has a touch screen! (Yes, I’m that old!)

            So, I guess you are really wondering where I’m going with this? Well, there is a point to all of this. I promise. I think I mentioned before that I have been studying The Acts of the Apostles with a wonderful group of ladies. We have studied Acts, Hebrews, I and II Thessalonians and now back to Acts. I was reading through the notes this week and started thinking about typewriters and touch screens, and that led me to think about the human touch. I know a LOT of people right now who need just a little human touch. In fact, there have been days recently that I needed a hug or touch myself. I have found myself to be so busy that I’m not sure that I’ve been doing a good job of this towards others. I try, but often just go through my busy days without really following through.           

            While reading about Paul and his missionary journeys, I’ve realized just how human he was and just how much he touched people’s lives. He faced so much. I know that it was by the grace of God that he survived all that he endured. He was flogged, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, lonely, and tired. He grieved just like us, worked hard to provide a living for himself, visited the lost, taught for many hours at a time (even to the point that he put a young man to sleep, who then fell out of a window and died…and then God used Paul to bring him back to life! (see Acts 20:7-12).  Paul went from sun up until sun down doing the Lord’s work. He’d sometimes walk for hundreds of miles to reach people. He was just as human as you and I, and yet, he persevered through trials that many of us will never know. He fully trusted God and followed Jesus Christ.

            Though Paul was fully human, he was also fully filled with and led by the Holy Spirit and because of this, God performed many miracles through Paul. And now, finally to the point. J Do you remember the story of the woman who was healed by one brief touch of Jesus’ garment? (See Matthew 9:20) One simple touch combined with faith, healed this woman of her illness. God used Paul in a similar way. (See Acts 19:11-12) Just a touch of Paul’s very garments brought healing to those who needed it. One single touch! Let me say that again…ONE SINGLE TOUCH!

            I’ll close with a few questions that God has been asking me these last few days. He is asking me to look to see who needs a “touch” from me. Is there someone at church who I know is discouraged or hurting, who just needs encouraging words, or a hug? Is there someone in my family who needs more of my time? Is there someone who needs me to take the time to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them, like Paul so strongly shared, even to the point of tears, grief and death? Is there someone who I need to pray for? The answer to all of these questions is a definite yes! There are so many who are hurting, jobless, lonely, lost, and broken, and if I do not take the time to notice and do something about it, who will? I pray that even in the midst of all that is going on in my life right now, I will not forget to take time to touch other people, not in that hard typewriter kind of way, but in that gentle, warm touch screen kind of way. Who do you need to reach out to and touch today? Maybe a card, a call or a hug could be the difference that shines Jesus’ love to that person. Take that step right now. Well, I’ve got to run. I have several people who I need to reach out to today. God bless you all and thanks for reading!

References from the Holy Bible