Touch My Coffin, Lord!

     I didn't feel like I had much to war with... in the natural.  I knew, though, that I was fully equipped and amply supplied for the spiritual battle we were facing; and so, my prayer developed from this cry in my heart.  I asked God to touch my coffin...

   When times get difficult and words don't seem enough... a desperate cry to God wells up as if to reach His very heart.  A hopeful whisper of prayers that only God can hear; only God can respond to, have always been the way the Lord has responded to me. 

   A short excerpt from a chapter entry in my newest book, "Water Me, Lord!", holds a prayer like that.

   I don't know what makes some prayers different than others, except perhaps the intensity... the level of sincerity?  I don't know; but I was sitting in my home near Houston, one afternoon a few months ago when I suddenly began to pray this prayer for my son.

     He was facing a revoked probation with a two year sentence, for violent crimes, and was being sought for by law enforcement.  This was not his first major offense, but with this he was now facing 25 years to life.  My son was 24 years old.

     Although I don't recall any great sense of fear or panic, I was gripped with grief for a wayward child who again, has lost his way; has come out from under God's covering, seemingly.  An adult child, who like many, struggle to make landing, to gain a foothold, despite their best, most sincerest attempts.

     I clearly remember 'leaning into' the Lord.  I needed Him to hide me away.  I needed to hear His Words on the matter; His direction and leading in all of this.  I could not grab on to the fearful words coming from others; discouraging and void of all hope.  I needed a miracle for my son.

   This prayer has paved the way for my son's freedom! 

    In short, my son will be home in less than a month; compared to a 25 year to life sentence! 

  Here is my prayer; the essence of my heart's cry to God.

                 Touch My Coffin, Lord...

Touch the areas of my life and of my family that look like they are dead and ready for burial... touch my family, where hope seems lost and regret taunts my mind.

When my eyes grow dim from crying... when my heart alone, You know weeps continually and without end... when there are no words for my pain and my grief.  Touch my coffin, Lord.

Be to me as you were for the mother whose son's coffin the crowd carried away, that day.  When You reached out to touch what held him bound; and he awoke!

He sat up.  He shook off the rags of death, and the mother took her son into her arms again, as the people rejoiced in the Lord.  Let it be for me, and for the mother's whose children are as dead, caught in a vicious cycle of sin and death...

Touch our sons and our daughters, Lord.

You are the God of all Resurrection, raise them, call them forth even as You did Lazarus; do it again, Father.  Let the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to You as we pray without ceasing, Your Word over their minds and hearts.

That they would hear Your voice, and turn toward You as the prodigal
You spoke of in Your Word.  Let it be for our children and theirs, even now, Lord.Open the ears of their spirit, soul and body to Your voice of Life, and
lead them through Holy Spirit.  Through dark and difficult times,
be their way of escape, Lord;That the Word of God would prevail over their lives and my joy would be full.

And when the Lord saw her He had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep.  And He went forward and touched the coffin and the pallbearers stood still.  And He said, Young man I say to you, arise! And the man who was dead sat up and began to speak. 
And Jesus gave him back to his mother.  Luke 7:13-15

The fervent, heartfelt prayer of a righteous man, woman or child, avails (obtains)
much from the Lord... it is the Word of God.

Whether what keeps you, or your loved one bound is a physical issue, such as incarceration, sickness, abuse or other painful bondage's, or a spiritual hold: God is well-able to bring you through.  The journey is never paved with ease, or lined with multitudes of people who can relate.  You "go it all alone, with Jesus", those dark and difficult places.  I used to mistake those "alone" times as "loneliness", until I learned to grab hold of the moment and include the Lord.

Freedom is found in the Presence of the Lord.  Make sure to open your life, your situations and most desperate, immediate needs to the Lord, with all your mind, heart and soul.

He wants to hear from you.



~

Sandra and her husband Al, reside near Houston, Tx., in Richmond and are the
parents of eight and grandparents of 19. 

Sandra Cerda is an author and public speaker, pastor and worship leader.  For more on her work go to:  http://www.cerdaministries.org/

Her books can be found on Amazon.com, here:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sandra+cerda
Email the author at:  sandracerda7408@yahoo.com