Touch Therapy

As I was getting a WONDERFUL massage from my AWESOME massage therapist cousin tonight, I started thinking about how powerful it is to be touched.

My cousin took her time working out all the thousands of knots I've accumulated, pressing firmly and slowly, massaging out all of the stress and tension in my shoulders and back. Occasionally she would ask if her pressing on a certain spot was okay or not, and I would say I was fine, because I knew in order for me to feel better, I had to go through some discomfort to get the knot worked out.

As the massage drew to an end, my shoulders felt more relaxed, my sore calves had less knots from going ice-skating with the kids the other day, and the tension from an emotionally stressfull day at work yesterday began to ease away.

I thought about what an awesome gift the Lord has blessed my cousin with. To be able to do that for people, has got to be such a great feeling. And He equiped her for her specific gift, by blessing her with strength in her arms and hands, giving them endurance to give massage after massage. And then He balanced that strength with a gentle, compassionate spirit. He blessed her with understanding and knowledge of message therapy and provided her with room in her home and a place of work where she can utilize her gift.

I got to thinking about touch in our spiritual lives. And how important it is to us and to God. Like Crystal, when we finally go to Him and ask Him to work our issues out, He needs us tobe willing to go through a bit or a lot of discomfort in order for us to feel really great in the end.

There's those certain knots He'll come across, where he'll tell us, "I need you to go through a bit of discomfort right now. You need to go say you're sorry to so-and-so, or confess what you did." Or, "I need you to forgive this person for what they did to you and you need to tell them personally that you forgive them."

And if we are willing to do it, the end result is wonderful! Less "knots" bringing us down, tightening us up and stressing us out. You feel looser and freer than ever before as he begins to ease those issues out.

It's so funny how the Lord puts these things on my heart to write. He used Crystal's gift to get me in gear and use my own gift that he's given me so that He could then bless others more.
I hope you come to realize the unique gift He's given you and that you'll ask Him how you should go about using it for Him, so that others will be blessed too.

I pray that you allow Him to touch your life in a deep and personal way, and that you'll be willing to go through some discomfort in order to feel better and freer about yourself; about your life. Below I am listing a few verses regarding touch and how important that sense is that God created:

"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings." Colossians 2:21

"Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched." 1 Samuel 10:26

"And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak , and all who touched him were healed." Matthew 14:36

"So after they had fasted and prayed they placed their hands on them and sent them off." Acts 13:3

"When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." Acts 19:6

"His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him." Acts 28:8

May you allow the Lord to use your hands today to touch another person's life.

Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa