Jesus held my hand
Written by Claire Coggan | 10th September 2022
Yesterday I went into my local coffee shop and as I stepped through the door I noticed a woman had a splint on her wrist. Earlier I had been praying that God might lead me to someone I could show his love to and share about Jesus with. As I smiled at her and asked her what she’d done, she told me she had brittle bones and that her dog had pulled her over and now her wrist was sprained. It seemed she had had a rough few weeks and this was the latest thing to have happened. I asked if I could pray for her and she said thank you. As I gently laid my hand on her wrist I told the pain to leave and for her wrist to be made well and then asked her how it was. She said, “It will get better”. I wanted to pray again and get her to test it out but conversations like these don’t always go in straight lines. Instead, she wanted to tell me something. She said, “I don’t expect you to believe this but I once had an experience.” She was nervous but I could see she wanted to talk about it and so I said, “How about I get a coffee and come and sit with you and you can tell me all about it.” As I sat down and we talked she said, “Jesus once held my hand and I don’t even know how to begin to describe it to you.” At a time in her life when she had felt she couldn’t go on, Jesus had reached out his hand to her and she said, at that moment she knew somehow that all would be well. As she said those words I was reminded of the story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4. Her only son had just died and she had said those very same words in faith, ‘that all would be well’ And that is what happened. Elisha prayed for her son to be raised from the dead and he was! Like the Shunammite woman who carried hope in her heart of something better this lady through an encounter with Jesus now carries hope. She’s experienced something of the greatest worth; the love of God for her. As she went on to share some of the headlines of her life story I could see she has suffered much whilst at the same time she has also survived so much. I asked her if she had ever asked Jesus fully into her life. From her answer, I wasn’t sure and so I asked if she had heard about why Jesus died on the cross and why he came and she said yes it’s in the book of John…Well, we are going to meet again and I believe God has a wonderful plan and that he had prepared for me to meet this lovely lady, called Julie.
As I am learning to follow the Holy Spirit he often points me to people sometimes when I am shopping, out walking, having my hair cut, or sitting in a coffee shop. Jesus said we are the light of the world and for us to shine in every place. I wonder what shining brightly and being Jesus to the people around you looks like for you? Perhaps it’s in your workplace, amongst your neighbours or family. As you go about your day I encourage you to be prayerful and then be looking and listening, expectant for opportune conversations that the Father will lead you into. Prophetic evangelism is the example Jesus gave us. He lived only doing what the Father showed him. It was how he taught his disciples and now it’s our turn!
Today, why don’t you pray and ask God who he has prepared for you to meet.
Claire Coggan
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Let’s do this
These small but obedient steps taken with Jesus by our side, often lead us into big opportunities. We begin to discover that Jesus has gone before us and that someone is so ready to hear more about the love Jesus has for them.
Did you hear the word ‘Courageous’ spoken over you right at the start of this message?
That’s because that is what you are right now! As a daughter of God, it is now our second nature to be courageous. This means walking by faith and trusting in the promises Jesus has spoken over us because we can’t always see what is going to happen next! As Claire stepped out, she was trusting in certain things…..
That God would answer prayer.
That this was a God given situation and he was in it!
That the Holy Spirit would guide her.
That she would be reminded of just the right words at just the right time.
That ‘everything would work together for GOOD’.
That there would be a good outcome and more opportunity.
As we stand on these promises, we can truly be the courageous women He calls us to be, and we would love to hear your stories of courageous living - contact us