The Widow of Nain

The following is encouragement for you as if Jesus Christ Himself was speaking.  These are meant to give you insight into His Heart, how He thinks, and how He feels about you.  Let this encouragement begin to dwell deep within you!

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.  As 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.  When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.  He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 

LUKE 7:11-15 (NIV)


It had been a long, but great, day.  I had just experienced a Roman centurion asking for a healing for a very valued member of his household, and the centurion’s faith in me moved me in a special way.

We were making our way to a small village called Nain, I and a large crowd of animated and excited friends.  Turning the corner in the road, I saw another large crowd coming out of the village, about to meet us.  This crowd, however, was just the opposite of our group.  This crowd was wailing and weeping.  Every sense in my body and spirit took note.  And then I saw the cause of the crying: men carrying a casket on the way to a burial.  A 30-something year-old woman was at the center of attention.  Not only had she lost her only son, but she had been previously widowed as well.  She was now truly alone!

I needed no one to ask me, I needed no one to state their faith and trust in me, no one to even look pleadingly at me.  In fact, I wasn’t sure if these dear people had even heard of me.  My friends saw my face change and my words trail off, and they knew me well enough to know that something was going to happen.

Although I saw the body of a boy in a casket, to the visible world dead, I knew of course that in terms of eternity the boy was just asleep, now home with my Father in heaven.  But I also saw the sadness and depression in that mother’s face, the loneliness and pessimism in her hunched over body, fear and simple exhaustion in her spirit.  

What to do first?  As I approached the scene, the sense of urgency and also the sense of expectation grew.  All eyes were on me as I drew near the casket.  Surely, the next step was so obvious to so many: raise that boy from the dead, and do it right now!  But to everyone’s amazement, I walked right past the casket and up to that mother, and I gently encouraged her not to cry.  The disappointment was almost palpable among both crowds; surely my choice of action was backwards.  Perhaps, some thought, I just didn’t understand “first things first”.

But from my perspective, physical death is merely a transition to a much better place.  It’s all about a vibrant new place, safely at home forever!  No, my concern was by far the sadness and loss in my dear sister’s life.  And that is why I went to her first.  I wanted her to hear my voice, to see my face, to feel my hand and to receive encouragement.

That having been done, then I went to the casket to bring life back to this boy, and re-united this family as before.

Know that physical death is not to be feared.  What is to be feared is living life in sad shadows, having a fear filled face, and a sense of hopelessness for the future.  Know also that my goal for you is an abundant life filled with the Holy Spirit, with my Father and Me living right in your heart.  You need never be alone, nor fear the future any longer!

Be OPEN to letting God prioritize questions and decisions in your life, even though His priorities may not seem to be the same as our priorities.  His plan is bigger and better!   

I really like you, and I really love you!


PAUSE … Invite Him to be with you; let Him quiet you with His Love.


REFLECT… What is God saying to you?

1) How do we misjudge the priorities Jesus has in mind for us?

2) Why was Jesus so moved?

3) Are you in the same situation as the widow?

4) Do you feel, and/or believe, that Jesus wants YOU to see His face, feel His hand, to hear His voice, and to receive encouragement?

5) Can you be OPEN to letting God decide the order of events in your life?  Can you be open to God's priorities for you, such as receiving comfort?  For example, we ourselves may prefer "getting over" trauma in our life quickly.  God, however, may want us to pause and go through this trauma with Jesus and the Holy Spirit at our side, slowly and thoroughly and deeply and with lasting healing. 
   

RECEIVE … That widow would have pointed to the casket as Jesus approached.  But Jesus had a much more personal priority for her.  Let Him decide priorities for you, as well!  Can you agree with Him, and chose to follow?


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