THE PERSONAL TOUCH OF JESUS
D. Wright
I would just like to bring in another touch which I trust will magnify the Lord Jesus to us. Our brother has spoken about stability. The Lord Jesus is the One in whom we can find stability.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and to the ages to come”, Hebrews 13: 8. He is ready to take us by the hand, as He did this blind man in the verses read. The question is, am I submissive enough to be taken by the hand of the Lord Jesus in order to come under His own direct touch? He led this man out of the village, meaning that He took him aside from every other influence, that he might he alone with the Lord.
We are always in need of these fresh touches from the Lord Himself. We give thanks for the good teaching that has come down to us, and should increasingly value it and seek to work it out in
our souls’ experience, so that it becomes part of us, but what is impressing itself upon me is the constant need there is for us to come under the direct touch of the Lord Jesus. It says,
“having spit upon his eyes, he laid his hands upon him”—it was all at very close quarters. As a result of the first touch the man emerges from total blindness but sees men as trees walking.
Men had an undue place with him; they were all out of proportion; they loomed larger in his vision than they should have done. Beloved brethren, this is a constant danger with us, and we need this second touch from the Lord that we might see all things clearly.
I think seeing all things clearly would involve that firstly we see the distinctiveness of Christ in His own Person, as in the experience of those on the mount of transfiguration. Peter had made the suggestion of making three tabernacles, but that brought out the intervention from heaven, the Father’s voice saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight” (Matthew 17: 5), and then it says that they saw no one but Jesus alone. Seeing all things clearly would also involve clear vision and judgment in relation to the whole course of the testimony, so that we are not only intelligent in regard of what the Lord is doing, but are also sympathetic with Him in regard to what He is doing. Thus we are not to be prone to come under the undue influence of men, but to be under the influence of the Lord Himself.
Peter says in John 21, “Lord, and what of this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he abide until, I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me”. May we each afresh come under the touch of the Lord, and Oh may we be submissive enough to be taken by His hand. May God bless the word.
Substance of word in meeting for ministry, Redbridge
19 January 1982