About a year after bringing Rocky home, Lynne decided that he needed a playmate, so we went to the Humane Society and picked Murphy out of the lineup. We’re not sure why we picked him other than he reminded us of the first small dog we had. Once we got him home, we discovered he had contracted distemper before they had given him his shots. He was one sick puppy for several weeks, but he pulled through, much to the amazement of our vet.

Murphy, to put it benevolently, was a “whack job” from the get-go! Instead of being a playmate for Rocky, we ended up with two “only child” dogs that at best tolerated each other. There were many times when, to maintain some domestic tranquility, I would find myself in the middle of them both with one hand on each of them.

There is something about the sense of touch to the human psyche. Studies have shown that parents who are able to touch their premature newborn child during “neonatal” care have a much better chance of surviving than those who are not touched. The sense of touch is a basic human need that we all recognize. In the New Testament, the most common Greek word translated as touch (haptomai) means “to touch, hold on, embrace” (Young’s Analytical Concordance). It is used exclusively in the Gospels in referring to Jesus — either someone touching Him or His touch to someone.

Jesus’ touch brings wholeness, healing, and peace. Unlike my two canine companions (I made them sit next to me), we have a choice. We can choose to draw near, or we can choose to move away. James tells us to “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7a, ESV). I need to make the first move. Why is that? you might be asking. It has to do with my mindset. I must be willing to be touched by God. I need to initiate it and want it, which means that I must recognize and acknowledge my need for His touch. Just as you cannot rescue a drowning man until that person gives up struggling, so also we sinners need to recognize the futility of trying to improve ourselves. We must cry out to God to be rescued.

One of my favorite Scriptures is Psalm 51 in which David is confessing his sin with Bathsheba. He confesses that “against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4a, ESV). Then he makes this request of God:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Psalm 51:10-13, ESV).

God’s presence and His indwelling Holy Spirit are one and the same. God doesn’t move — we do. When He seems far away, it’s because I moved, and my drawing near to Him helps me realize that He has been there all the time. His hand on me results in my comfort, my peace, and my strength. Note that when He restores “the joy of my salvation,” then and then only will I be able to “teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to You” (with me being one of them)!

So, being a child of the ‘60s, let me offer this sage advice: If “You’ve Lost That Lovin Feeling” (Righteous Brothers, 1965 — you kids refer to Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”), ask God for His touch. Draw near to Him and know that He will draw near to you! What say ye, Man of Valor?