Luke 8:42-48 – As He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, "Who touched Me?" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now, when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

I worked at Evangel Hall last year for a few months. Many types of people touched my life in those days, from the mentally distressed, to the homeless, to the prostitute. The beauty of working at a place like the Hall is not just that you reach them, but those whom you think you are helping are what the Lord uses to reach you. I remember one evening in early November, when the simplest gesture reached out to me.

I was walking towards Spadina tonight on my way home. When I got to the corner, I crossed with one of the "Squeegy" kids [who clean the windshields of cars stopped at traffic lights]. He is older and comes in for shampoo and soap each morning. I said, "Hey!" and he turned and smiled. He is a frail looking guy — I would say he is my age or a little younger. He told me he was on his way to a Chinese restaurant for a $2.99 dinner. He told me it is excellent food. We chatted for all of 15 seconds. The light turned green and I had to cross to catch the streetcar. He reached out his hand and touched my arm and said, "Thanks, see ya'." The beauty in that gesture was incredible.

Thank you, Lord, but I don't even know his name.

Be aware of who is in your life, everyday, and feel the touch or the gesture of Christ from and within them. God uses people and situations to speak to us. In my time at the Hall, I saw the true face of Christ. God used the most lonely, the forgotten, the destitute and the sick to reach me.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your touch of grace. Give us the discernment to feel it more, to see it more clearly, and to praise you for revealing yourself to us. Comfort those searching, those lonely, those who are homeless. Enable us to not only reach out but to make conscious decisions of lifestyle to practise what we preach. Remind us that as we reach out, in whatever way, you can still reach us in the simplest of ways. We can do nothing without you. Thank you for that promise. Amen.

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