HE TOUCHED ME

Bill Gather has had a profound impact on gospel music during the past 50+ years and many of us have grown up singing songs written by him.  He began writing in 1960 but it wasn't until his 54th song that his music made an impact on the national level.  It turned out that this week's choice is probably the most famous of those which he has written.  According to Gather, he wrote this song during a time when he was accompanying an old preacher friend of his, Dr Dale Oldham, on some evangelistic crusades. He recalled: "He was a very eloquent speaker. One night after one of those meetings, Dr. Oldham said to me, 'Bill, the word "touch" is a very popular word. It comes up so often in the New Testament stories about Jesus touching people's eyes and healing them, or touching people's lives and changing them. It's a special, spiritual word and you ought to write a song that praises His touch.' So I did."  Doug Oldham, Dr. Oldham's son, was the first to record the song in 1964 and later in the year Bill's own group recorded it. Bill recalled: "Doug sang it around in church circles, but I think it really started to get popular as people would take it back to their own congregations and sing it as a chorus. Its funny, you write 53 songs and then you write one little baby, and even though it comes out of the womb the same way they all did, this baby just all of a sudden goes BOOM!"   Many other artists have recorded this song, including most famously, Elvis, who made it the title track of his 1972 Grammy Winning gospel album. The King covered it after hearing an arrangement by his backing group, The Imperials.  While these famous musicians certainly helped make the song popular, I think much of its worldwide acceptance came because the words hit home.  When Christ touches a life he changes it completely and one is no longer the same.  The person is set free from the shackles and burden of their sin and now they are made whole.  If you have experienced this touch and change, then sing along with these words this week and praise God for the joy He has put within your life.

(1)     Shackled by a heavy burden

Neath a load of guilt and shame

Then the hand of jesus touched me

And now I am no longer the same

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

(2)     Since I met this blessed savior

Since he cleansed and made me whole

I will never cease to praise him

Ill shout it while eternity rolls

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

Listen to it here.   LISTEN