Our sermon last week was on Jesus and the widow of Nain, which you can read in Luke 7:
11Soon afterward, Jesus
went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went
along with him. 12As he
approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only
son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town
was with her. 13When the
Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
14Then he went up and touched
the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I
say to you, get up!" 15The
dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his
mother.
16They
were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared
among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17This news about Jesus spread
throughout Judea[a] and the surrounding country.
Our pastor pointed out something that I have missed every time I've read this story, and made it really come alive in the way he explained it:
The mother in this story doesn't ask Jesus for anything!
Can you picture this mother?
Her husband is dead.
Her son is dead.
She is as good as dead, as there was no way she could provide for herself. No shelter to go to, no charity to bring her food, no social security. I imagine her shuffling along...barely able to stand up straight...overcome with grief and not even able to speak. Maybe she didn't even realize Jesus was there.
But He was right there. Jesus sees her, His heart breaks as he takes in the scene, and HE goes to HER and heals her son.
He not only gives her son new life, but he really brings her back to life, too.
How beautiful is that?
And here's how it applies to you and me.
We can die a thousand little deaths every day. Maybe it's the hurt we feel in being rejected by a friend, or in the loss of a job, or in just being stressed out and tired beyond belief.
Sometimes, we are not even able to cry out to God. Maybe we feel like we have forgotten how to pray, or we wonder if anyone is even listening.
But Jesus is right there beside us, reaching out to us.
You know, I love looking at old folks in church.
To see an elderly man or woman that can barely stand closing their eyes, lifting their hands, and singing "How Great Thou Art" never fails to make me cry. Yes, I cry very easily, but this touches my heart for so many reasons.
How many family members has this person buried? Have they buried their spouse?
How many wars have they lived through?
How many serious health issues have they dealt with?
But instead of shaking their fist at the sky and screaming, "Why??!!"
Here they are.
In the twilight of their life.
Worshiping the One that they have learned is constantly beside them, reaching into their pain, and bringing them back to life again and again.
I don't think any of us would ever ask for a trial, but when those hard times do come, they have a way of making Jesus real.
When everything is stripped away, maybe to the point that we don't even know how we will care for our children, we learn what trust really is, and that He is right there, looking at us with compassion.
I wanted to share the lyrics to one of my favorite songs with you, and I hope that this brings you peace, and that you literally feel the gentle touch of Christ as He brings you back to life with His love.
Beautiful Beautiful by Francesca Battistelli
Don’t know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart
Breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace
(Chorus)
Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful, beautiful
Now there’s a joy inside I can’t contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it’s pouring down
I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face
(Chorus)
I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace
(Chorus)
