Verse of the Day 2/22

Through the Bible - Exodus 14-15, 1 Thessalonians 3

 

Good morning,

For today's verses we'll continue in Luke chapter 7.  Yesterday Jesus healed someone that had lost hope and was "ready to die" through the faith of the centurion who submitted to Christ's authority and sought His favor.

 

In today's passage we find Jesus approaching a funeral procession.  The widow of Nain had just lost her only son.  No hope for her son and a bleak future for herself.

 

The Lord approaches and has compassion for her and tells her "do not weep".  He did this before changing the situation.  How would she and the friends and family take such words?  What kind of comfort is that?  Then Jesus does some startling and miraculous things.

 

Luke 7:14 Then he came up and touched  the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you,  arise."  15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus  gave him to his mother.   ESV

It is a scene that I'd like to see in a Hollywood production.  The funeral procession with the weeping and wailing.  The crowd following Jesus who heads straight for them, not avoiding  the procession.  Jesus speaks to the widow and mother and apparently the procession continues until Jesus reaches out and touches the coffin.  What were the thoughts of the crowd and the mourners.  Some would accuse Him of defiling Himself, others were expecting something great.  Everything stops, silence comes over the crowd.  Did those carrying the coffin sense something?

 

Jesus says "arise" and the young man sits up and speaks.  Life has been restored, speech has been restored, hope had been restored.  She could face tomorrow, because Jesus he Son of God lives, her son now lived again and spoke again.  The dawning of a new life in Christ.

 

I could feel something of what she felt.  After our son Jeff's accident and brain injury he didn't speak.  The doctors said that he'd never walk or talk again.  Oh how that hurt. How we longed to hear his voice.  How would I react to someone who told me in a compassionate voice "do not weep"? After almost two years when hope was just about gone, through the prayers of many and the healing power of Jesus, Jeff spoke his first words.  It was as if Jesus had given our son back.  Jeff now lives to sing His praise.

 

I'm reminded of the old hymn "Because He Lives"

 

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Read the passage again, slowly.  Visualize the magnitude of what took place to all concerned.  It went far beyond the woman and her son.  The people realized that "God had visited His people".  He still does.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Luke 7:11-18

 

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

 

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out,  the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her,  he had compassion on her and  said to her, "Do not weep."  14 Then he came up and touched  the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you,  arise."  15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus  gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and  they glorified God, saying,  "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and  "God has visited his people!" 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.   ESV