1 Kings 19:3-8
The Touch of Angels
In recent years, we have seen quite a rise in the number of alternative therapies that are available. No doubt there is an alternative cure for hair loss! Some of them seem to have an element of sense in them, and others fall into the barking mad category. However, where I think that many of the alternative therapies have their success is that they give their patients time, and they often involve some kind of physical contact, such as massage.
I understand that the medical profession now recommends a special form of therapy in dealing with unconscious patients. The relatives are encouraged to touch the patient, to communicate their love through the touch of the human hand.
There is enormous power in the touch of another person. And the angel in our reading from 1 Kings 19 knew the importance and healing power of a touch. For twice we read that the angel touched Elijah.
Before we go too much further, we need to put our reading into context. We need to know Elijah’s situation. Some years before, Ahab, the king, and his wife Jezebel had abandoned the worship of Jehovah and begun to worship the pagan gods or Baals. One of the consequences of this was that God sent a drought to try and bring the nation to its senses. However, the king and the people were stubborn, and a showdown came about on Mount Carmel in which Elijah outstandingly defeated the four hundred and fifty prophet of Baal. You may be quite familiar with that story. For in it, Elijah showed clearly that it was God who had the power to bring rain and not Baal.
Not surprisingly, Ahab and Jezebel were not particularly happy with this, and threatened to assassinate Elijah. (19:2).
So that was Elijah’s situation. But what was Elijah’s state of mind? As you can imagine, Elijah was afraid, (v3) and went off into the desert. We read that he sat down under a tree and prayed that he might die (v4). I think he was tired, even exhausted after his showdown with the prophets of Baal. He was afraid, and depressed. Elijah was sick and needed healing.
God knew Elijah’s situation and God knew Elijah’s state of mind. And God knew Elijah’s needs. God knew the importance and healing power of a touch and sent his angel to administer it.
The touch of the angel’s ministry
Now, angels are described in the Bible as messengers and ministering spirits sent to serve God’s people (Heb 1:14). I imagine that the stereotype of an angel is somewhat along the lines of ‘so heavenly minded as to be no earthly use’, but as you read the Bible record, you find that angels are frequently sent for very practical purposes. And that is certainly what happened with Elijah. The angel came as God’s representative (the angel of the Lord v7), to show to Elijah the presence of God with him.
The angel came as God’s minister to touch Elijah to assure him of God’s love. The angel didn’t just come and sit there slightly apart from Elijah. The angel actually touched Elijah. The angel touched Elijah twice. And in the touch was an intensely practical assurance of God’s love.
The angel came as God’s minister to touch Elijah to bring in healing. Because after the angel’s touch Elijah was able to get up and move on. Rather than lying down under the tree, wanting to die, Elijah began to be restored.
The angel came as God’s minister to bring practical assistance. Elijah needed bodily sustenance. And the angel provided him with freshly baked bread and water. Ministry is not just spiritual. It is practical as well. And the angel gave practical assistance to Elijah.
And finally, the angel came as God’s minister to give direction. For once Elijah had been fed and begun to be restored in mind and body, the angel directed him on. The angel directed Elijah to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God, where Elijah was to have an even greater experience of God.
So we see very clearly the touch of the angel’s ministry. The angel came as God’s minister in a very practical way. And an essential part of that ministry was to touch Elijah to assure him of God’s love, to touch him to bring God’s healing and restoration.
The touch of Christ’s ministry
Of course we see the importance of touch and clearly displayed in Jesus ministry. For Jesus touched people, time and time again.
Jesus touched people to bring healing. In Mark 5:23, we read of Jairus asking Jesus to touch his daughter and that she might be made well. And we know that that is what Jesus did.
Jesus touched people to show his compassion. In Luke 1:41, we read how Jesus touched the untouchables, how Jesus touched a leper, and he was immediately made clean. And in that touch, we see that it was a touch filled with compassion. Jesus touched people to show his compassion of and concern for them.
Jesus touched people to remove their fear. At the Transfiguration, Peter James and John were absolutely terrified. Matthew 17:8. But Jesus touched them, and said ‘don’t be afraid’.
Jesus touched people to bless them. In Matthew 19:13 we read how children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them, touched them, and bless them.
We see very clearly the touch of Jesus ministry. Jesus touched people to show God’s love and to bring God’s healing and restoration.
The touch of our ministry
And what about our situation? Well, I think it there is no doubt that we live in an increasingly detached and impersonal world. But I am sure that our human makeup is not that way. And I do not think our human makeup is any different from Elijah’s. For we all from time to time get tired, are afraid or depressed, ill or sick. And so there is no doubt in my mind that like Elijah we all from time to time need to receive the touch of ministry. We all from time to time need to receive the touch of God in our situation.
We all from time to time need God’s touch of ministry upon us. We all from time to time need God’s touch to bring healing of our situations, of our state of mind and to bring restoration and wholeness to us. We all from time to time need God’s touch to bring us practical help, to encourage us to move on, and to empower us for his service.
And we receive that touch of God in many ways. God still sends his angels to bring his touch. But God also uses his people to bring his touch. For just as angels are God’s messengers and ministers, as Sue reminded us last week, we also all have a ministry of service to each other.
I can identify quite closely with Elijah. About six years ago, I was very ill and suffered a long period of depression. And in that time many people came to bring God’s touch to me. There were those who brought a physical touch, a good hug at just the right time. There were those who brought their touch to heal my situation. There were those who brought their practical touch to help me in ordinary day-to-day ways. And our rector at the time regularly prayed for me and laid his hands on me to bring God’s healing touch through him to me.
For it is very easy to believe that ministry of any kind is something that other people do. Usually its clergy, and readers and perhaps one or two others. But I believe that we all have a part to play in the touch of our ministry. We all have a ministry to touch people’s lives with our compassion. We all have a ministry to touch people’s lives in practical ways. Perhaps it is as the angel did, with freshly baked bread! Maybe you have a ministry to touch people’s lives with encouragement. Or maybe you have a real gift to know when to give somebody a hug. With our famous British reserve, we sometimes find that difficult, even when inside we know that we are crying out for the touch of human contact.
We read in the New Testament that Jesus reached out and touched people, and through that touch their lives were transformed in all sorts of ways. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have that same power available to us. And as we reach out and touch people in the name of Jesus their lives can be transformed in ways that we could never imagine.
So let us not be afraid to reach out, not only to touch those in need, but also to receive the touch of ministry ourselves.
