The Widow’s Son
May 21, 2015
It’s amazing how much the Word of God speaks in a different way when your heart searches it for answers. Things that I had read many times before suddenly took on a completely different meaning after the accident. When that happened, I underlined and dated the verse in my Bible, sometimes adding a note to remind me what God said when I read it.
One of those verses underlined in my Bible is Luke 7:12-13. It’s dated April 6, 2005, a little over 4 months after the accident. The verse says this, “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.”
I remember the overwhelming feeling when I read that His heart went out to her. He cared. I know what it feels like to have someone ask how I am feeling when they don’t really care to know, it’s just the polite thing to do; and I know what it feels like to have someone look at me with sincere love and compassion. When I read this, I feel Jesus’ heart ache for her. She’s a widow burying her only son. She would have to fend for herself now, begging in the streets for food.
Jesus has a curious thing to say to her though – “Don’t cry.” Seriously? Right.
Why did Jesus say that? Well, because He was about to do something about her tears! He walked right up to the coffin and touched it. That was a major violation of Jewish law. He was now unclean, unable to enter the temple to worship until He was cleansed. He walked right up into her pain and touched it, quite literally.
But what He does next is miraculous. He speaks to the dead young man and tells him to get up. The man sits up and begins to talk. This always makes me smile. I’m thinking that I might have something to say if I woke up during my own funeral!
Then Jesus gives him back to his mother. What a tender moment.
“They were all filled with awe and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us,’ they said. ‘God has come to help his people.’” (Luke 7:16)
I’m jealous.
What about me?
I imagine it all the time….that moment when Jesus gives me back my son and daughter. It will happen. It’s promised in I Thessalonians 4:13-18. “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him (That’s MY son and daughter!). According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (He has ALREADY touched the coffin of my son and daughter!) After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together WITH THEM in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (this is underlined multiple times in my Bible….forever….never to say goodbye again!) Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
I wonder what Jayden said when he sat up and started talking?
Lora,
That was beautifully written! I love to see how God has revealed the deep and secret things to you! (Daniel 2:22). I’m so thankful for you & your precious family’s testimony, it has touched my life in so many ways! Thanking God that this life is only a drop in a bucket compared to eternity!
Love you!