That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John 1:1

Do I catch what God is saying here?  The God who created the million plus galaxies in the heavens, the pure and holy God, the Awesome One, is telling us who Jesus is and what he did to make it possible for poor frail human beings like us to – hold your breath – to have intimacy with that eternal God!!

WE HEARD HIM.  The disciples heard his physical voice, they also heard with their spiritual ears. God wants to tell us that He loves us and that Jesus will talk with us if we wish. Is it possible that we can chat with God?   Absolutely amazing.

John goes on, WE SEE GOD WITH OUR EYES, wide open.  In addition to hearing God we see him.  We see all of his attributes in Jesus Christ, his mercy, his love, his judgment. John uses human sensory abilities like hearing and seeing and touching to illustrate the reality of having fellowship with God!  These terms are so intimate that we simply stand in awe at what God in Christ has done for us.  Touch God?  Yes.  As simple as that, but as profound as eternity itself.

John goes on, WE LOOKED AT HIM.  This implies pondering what we see, recognizing its importance. Many people give Jesus a glance and that is it. No, we are invited to examine him entirely, to look into his heart, his love and his unsurpassed compassion. Stand and look!

John goes on, OUR HANDS HAVE TOUCHED AND HANDLED HIM.  Is God touchable??  That is what is marvelous about God’s plan for man’s redemption. Not only does God invite us to touch him in Christ but to embrace him with all our might like he embraces us.

Come all, listen to God in Christ, see him pour out his life for us, ponder that astounding truth, then reach out, not only to touch him but to embrace Him in his entirety. That is the gift God is offering us – it is the gift that John invites us to receive in the first lines of his letter.