Pastor Robert Hile Jr.

Greetings, first and foremost I speak blessings of health and safety over everyone who has been affected by this horrible pandemic.

In times such as this we are challenged to possibly rethink our priorities and take a second look to consider those things we have allowed to become so important in our daily lives and also those things we have learned to just take for granted.

This short sermon addresses one of those things that most of us have taken for granted since we were small children — a touch from another living being, especially another human we have close relationship with, in our circle of life.

This became so apparent to me over the last few weeks through a couple of things I have heard and observed.

First, it's been reported that this pandemic has resulted in a surge of people adopting animals from local shelters seemingly because they now have time to care for them and (I believe) even more so because they crave companionship of another living being.

The second (and even more profound) experience I had was while ministering to a family during the recent loss of a loved one.

As we gathered at the funeral home, which of course was a very small private gathering of immediate family only, it became very obvious (to me) that one of the things people desire most (especially at times such as this) is the touch and/or embrace of a loved one.

It may seem insignificant to some, but when we are forced to live without the physical touch of others, we very quickly become acutely aware of how much we humans desire to have it.

I believe this is because God created us to be tactile creatures when He chose to form us out of the dust with His own hands. The book of Genesis tells us that all of creation was “spoken” into existence by God except for man and woman.

The Word states that He “formed” man out of the dust and then breathed into him, afterwards He took a part of the man and made woman.

We are the only one of His creations that He touched and made in His own image. I believe that's because He himself is a God of relationship and touch, and desired for us to be the same.

Our recent experience with isolation and quarantine serves to give us a whole new insight of what it must have meant to the leper who fell at Jesus' feet crying for mercy. The Bible says that Jesus stopped, reached out and touched him. Something he had lived without for a long time.

These are only a couple of truths from the Word that show us God's desire to be in close relationship with us and touch us through His Holy Spirit.

Now please don't misunderstand my message. I'm NOT advocating we ignore the directives we have received concerning social distancing.

I am, however, saying we do not need to distance ourselves from God. If you are feeling isolated, lonely, and perhaps even abandoned, you are but a prayer away from feeling the loving touch of a God who indeed loves you.

Even in today's environment of distance and separation I believe God is near to us and can be touched by us through our prayers and is eager to touch us with His presence.

He declared He would never leave us or forsake us, and I believe He will honor that and (even today) remains a God of Touch.

May God bless you and give you peace, and may you walk each day in the strength of His Holy Spirit. Amen

Note: A live version of this sermon is available on “butlercogop.com” or on YouTube channel “butlercogop.”

Robert Hile Jr. is pastor of Family Life Ministries in Butler.