Article: Allowing Jesus to touch your coffin | Tiby Thomas

Luke 7:14   Jesus came  and touched the coffin and the poll bearers came to a standstill.
As per Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham, The Billy Graham evangelistic association was preparing for a grand funeral of Billy Graham for more than 40 years. As a part of the preparation, they also had appointed poll bearers who would eventually carry the coffin. Not surprisingly though, Billy Graham outlived not one group of poll bearers but a total 3 groups of poll bearers. Those who were ready to carry the mortal remains died earlier than Billy Graham.
Similarly, there could be invisible poll bearers who want to carry our coffin, probably at our workplace or other areas of our social life. But Jesus wants to touch our coffin and halt the poll bearers.

We are familiar with the story at the village Nain. The widow’s son was raised once Jesus touched the coffin. It was a defining moment in the life of the widow. Likewise, Jesus wants to touch our coffin and dig up the grave. Whatever is dead within us, be it the unproductive remains, a health issue, issues in Job, personal loss, rejection, or feeling less of yourself. He wants to touch us today, restore our life back and give it a meaning and purpose. In the case of the widow, it was an accident and a matter of chance that Jesus raised her son.  Yes, we know it very well that whatever Jesus does is by virtue of his plan and purpose.

*Jesus at Lazarus House*
Jesus wanted to go to a believer’s house to touch the coffin but had a lot of opposition. In the first place, the disciples did not want to. One of the disciples was angry and said, “Let us go & die with him.” It was a risky proposition. Jesus in this case purposely delayed his visit, and later Jesus had a tough time convincing the family members. Jesus had planned his visit so that he could touch the coffin. Both Mary and Martha said, “Jesus if you had been here earlier my brother would not have died”. Jesus tried to convince them and reiterated, “I AM the resurrection and Life.” Jesus assured that their brother would live. Then Jesus went to the grave and asked the grave to be opened up. It was beyond  Martha’s comprehension, and she reminded Jesus of the foul smell and maggots in the grave. Martha did not want to see the rotten body of his brother and discouraged Jesus from doing so. But then it was a defining moment in the Lazurus’ family.

*Jesus at Jabbok*
God took the whole night to touch the “coffin” to mellow Jacob. God enquired his name. It was not about knowing the name or getting any information, but it was about Jacob’s confession and admitting his own self. God visited Jabbok to touch the coffin of Jacob. There is a distinct possibility the next day that Esau would kill him. He was coming with 400 of his men, that was probably the appointed poll bearers who would carry the coffin. Jacob did not fully realize who he was fighting with. Perhaps, he might have thought Esau had sent a wrestler to kill him. Jacob was devising a plot to soften Esau by his expensive gifts. He was preoccupied. Jacob perhaps was one of the strongest men in the Bible after Samson. He removed a large stone from the well on his own. Jacob stood his ground, his ego, personality, deceitfulness caught him in. Why did God wrestle with Jacob, why did God choose not to win?
It is in the later stages of the fight, God asked his name again and by this time Jacob knew that this was God himself. It took God the whole night to mellow him down so that he is ready for the confession. In Biblical times, the name of a person represented one’s character and personality trait. Jacob admitted that he was a leg puller, grabber, conman, cheat, trickster. It took the whole night for Jacob to be drained of his embedded ego, pride and self. It was the defining moment in Jacob’s life.

At Bethany, it was lack of faith, while at Jabbok it was ego, pride and deceit that roleplayed. However, Jesus was able to touch the coffin and dig into the grave.
Jesus is the same yesterday and today and He wishes to touch us. Let us get rid of all ego and exercise faith within ourselves for He is the resurrection and life. Whatever is dead and lost, Jesus can and will revive a fresh lease of life in us.

Tiby Thomas

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