You'll Never Know

The Creator God touched Adam by breathing into him the breath of life. The optimistic God touched Noah to remain righteous and help the world to be renewed. The providing God touched Abraham to live in wondrous faithfulness and see Isaac, his son, spared, and a nation come to be. The deliverer God touched Moses to rise above his perceived limitations and lead God's people to freedom. The touch of God was upon: Gideon who defeated an army with but a remnant; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego whose faith and allegiance saved them from fire; an un-named woman who trusted that healing could come from but touching Jesus' cloak; apostles who would go into the world with the message of saving grace that changes hearts and souls. In countless Bible stories, throughout human history, with people whose names we know aEUR| Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Albert Schweitzer and Martin Luther King, Jr. aEUR| and those whose names are lost aEUR| the nurse and the soldier and the teacher aEUR| the touch of God upon those lives shone brightly and wonderfully changed those lives. And their touch upon others conveyed God's touch as did others' touch upon them. "You'll Never Know" is a sharing of stories and examples of God's touch being real in my life as a United Methodist pastor. God touched me to touch others with the presence and grandeur of the Lord in ways that still amaze and stir and humble me. God touched others in my ministerial life to touch my family and me with support and encouragement. Deep and rich blessings resulted. Relationships were created and enriched beyond imagine. We might never know the full impact of living in celebration of these sacred touches. But others will as we seek union with this fullness of God. It makes all the difference!

-- Rev. Russell Waldmann