To quote a famous baseball player of a bygone era, it was “deja vu all over again.”

It wasn’t the first time John found himself on his face like a dead man at the feet of Jesus. The last time, he was with a couple of friends on a mountain where Jesus was literally shining, Moses and Elijah were casually visiting, and the Father was ominously thundering (Mt. 17:1-6). The result? John & Co. went facedown. This time, John was in the Spirit on an island with Jesus only. But this was not just a shining Jesus, this was King Jesus in all His glory, the One who walks among the churches (Rev. 1:13a). And this encounter of the divine kind with the risen, glorified Son of Man buckled John’s knees again, such that “when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man” (Rev. 1:17a). Facedown once more. Deja vu all over again.

But that wasn’t all of it. There was something else which had occurred on that mountain back then which also occurred on this island on the Lord’s Day.

He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid.”

(Revelation 1:17b CSB)

On the mountain, Matthew records that after going facedown before the glorified Son of God, Jesus “touched them” and told them to get up and not be afraid. On the island, John tells us that after going facedown before the glorified Son of Man, Jesus again touched him and said, “Don’t be afraid.”

Jesus touched John.

I know I’ve noodled on this before, but again this morning I’m captured by the thought of being touched by Jesus. Of what it was for John to have felt the hand of Jesus rest gently on his shoulder. Of hearing the King of kings and Lord of lords address him individually and softly speak over him, “Don’t be afraid.” It’s one thing to hear “don’t be afraid,” it’s another thing — a totally next level thing — to feel it.

He laid His right hand on me, says John. He touched me.

Oh, to know the touch of Jesus. To go from bowing before Him in reverent awe overwhelmed by His might and majesty, to sensing the touch of His fingertips as He bends toward me and, by the Spirit, lays His hand upon my shoulder and says, “Get up.”

To be touched by the One who created all things and holds all things together. Touched by the One who rules over all things. Touched by the One who came to redeem all things.

To know the touch of the hand of the King.

He touched me, oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole (Bill Gaither)

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.