September 26, 2020
I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Luke 7:3,14, “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said to her, “Do Not Weep.”Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you. Arise”.
From the above context we understand that Jesus had compassion on the widow. She had lost her only son, and there was no one to take care of her. She was weeping over the death of her beloved son. Jesus was touched by her pitiable situation, as she was walking behind the men carrying the coffin of her son to the burial place.
Jesus and his disciples were followed by a large crowd. They came to Nain, a Galilean town not far from Nazareth. As they were about to enter, they encounter or saw a funeral procession that was presumably on its way to a place of burial outside the city. Jesus approached the body of a young man being carried on a bier , a structure that allowed for the transport of a body or coffin for burial. Jesus commands the young man lying dead to rise, and he did rise. . With great reverence, the crowd praised God and exclaimed that a great prophet had come among them, with news of what Jesus had done spreading far and wide.
Jesus responds to the need of a widow, whose only son had died and had compassion on her. The most touching detail of the widow, was that he was her only son and this highlights her difficult situation. Without a husband and now without any son to support her, it is very likely that she is now or will soon be financially destitute. The story suggests that her sole means of support had been taken away from her. That is why when Jesus saw her situation, “his heart went out to her”. The compassion of Jesus was fuelled by the widow’s plight, for in the ancient world it was the case that people depended on their children after their retirement. . First, the crowds who were with Jesus were filled with awe and praised God, saying, “God had come to help his people.”
The incident reveals something more that than just a funeral. On the bier was the only child of a widow. She was now left undefended. It was the bereft mother who drew the compassion of Jesus. In spite of the laws of ritual purity, Jesus laid His hands on the bier, and gave the man back to his mother. His heart was touched by human misery. The compassion which can invade our hearts at the time of the death of a young person was also in Jesus’ heart for a young widow. He wanted to reach out to her, hold her to his heart and make her life better. This is the same with any suffering we have. The raising up of this young son is a symbol of how Jesus raises us when we are down. The compassion of his heart lets us know that we are understood, accepted and welcomed in the loving heart of God. .
Jesus gave the widow and her son another opportunity to live. When Jesus could comfort all the people that flocked around him by this miracle and rejuvenate their life will He not comfort and console you? He will comfort you. Be encouraged in the Lord He will surely comfort you, because just when the widow thought she had lost everything in life everything was restored back to her. If someone reading this message might have lost their loved one because of Corona Virus, let him/her be encouraged in the Lord through this message. For however dangerous your problem might be remembered you have Jesus beside you to strengthen and revive you. In times of darkness, let us remember that Jesus, the great prophet hailed by the mourners, is still with us – yesterday, today and forever. God bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we thank You for Your compassion shown to the widow in the town of Nain. Thank You for restoring her son back to life and giving her another opportunity to live. Help us also when we go through such troubles. Comfort us too. Stretch out Your loving hand to help us in difficult situation. Let your power engulf us in times of distress. And when we are liberated we will glorify your name.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
