A loss that turns to LIFE
Trinity 16--- Luke 7
The account of Jesus raising the widow's son in the small town of Nain near Nazareth is a pattern for our action as well. First, let's take a look at the pattern of Jesus' action for this woman who lost her only son, and then see how that should apply to our Christian living.
First, Jesus saw what was going on . " And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, ' Weep not.'" I wonder if we know this in our Christian lives. He knows us. There are times when God seems absent in our days, but He is working out His purposes for His people. He does not forget or not know. He has compassion on us.
God's no's are compassionate. Did you ever pray for a certain thing or difficulty and God seemed silent, or you ended up with an outright no? All His ways are love. Isaiah tells us ch 55, " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways , saith the Lord."
God's waiting answers are hard too. " they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40
If we do not understand God's answers, that is okay. We are not meant to understand them all, but we are meant to trust in His providence. Proverbs 3:" Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." I Corinthians 13 reminds me ," for now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face."
If you are feeling lost, down, or hopeless, know that Jesus has compassion on His people just as He did on the widow of Nain. This was her only son. She needed him, and Jesus told her not to weep , for He was about to take action. And if you are His by faith, then He has compassion on you as well. We forget that.
Secondly, note Jesus did something which is a pattern for us as well when we see a need and believe God wants us to meet that need. " and he came and touched the bier ( open casket): and they that bare him stood still. And he said, ' Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.' " Jesus' compassion led to action. He did this miracle of raising her son who obviously dead in front of the whole city/ town.
Does this happen all the time? Of course not. But Jesus had compassion on her. He wanted to show His glory and His power over death . We forget this too. When a loved one dies we grieve, and we grieve, and we keep on grieving, but we need the encouragement of the Resurrection to eternal life. " He talked to him as though He could hear Him. So he could hear Him! He talked to him as though he was alive. He was alive! The body was dead. The man was not dead. No man is ever dead when his body lies dead! There is dissolution between the spirit and the body, but not death. " G Campbell Morgan, Luke
The pattern for us is to trust in God when all seems lost. Our loved ones are with God . They live now through and in us, and we are the people we are because of them. We too should act in loving ways to those in need around us as God calls us to meet the needs of others. What needs are we to meet in our family among our friends and in our faith community that God is calling us to meet?
Lastly, in the middle of despair , death, and loss, a vision of the purposes of God is realized by the people . " And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, ' That a great prophet is risen among us; and , That God hath visited His people.' "
I wonder if we realize that our words and actions however insignificant they may appear are truly valued by God and do make a difference in those who see and hear them. God has visited His people when you share His love and compassion in deeds and words to those who are silently struggling with something you may have no knowledge of. I think we see God's actions in the pictures of beauty around us, a small child , a sunrise in the hill country, a project we complete that was on our to-do list that we never thought we would get done......May we rejoice as God visits His people . He does it in small and yes and even large ways.
Can we trust Him that He does want the best for us in this life as we prepare to serve Him in the life to come? Can we show to others His compassion and the fruit of the Spirit here so that in the life to come we will never weep again, for we shall then be with Him face to face. We shall be known as we are known by Him. We will have all we ever wished and have all that we ever needed---His complete presence in which there is joy forevermore. We will not be separated from those who love us .
The account of Jesus raising the widow's son in the small town of Nain near Nazareth is a pattern for our action as well. First, let's take a look at the pattern of Jesus' action for this woman who lost her only son, and then see how that should apply to our Christian living.
First, Jesus saw what was going on . " And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, ' Weep not.'" I wonder if we know this in our Christian lives. He knows us. There are times when God seems absent in our days, but He is working out His purposes for His people. He does not forget or not know. He has compassion on us.
God's no's are compassionate. Did you ever pray for a certain thing or difficulty and God seemed silent, or you ended up with an outright no? All His ways are love. Isaiah tells us ch 55, " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways , saith the Lord."
God's waiting answers are hard too. " they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40
If we do not understand God's answers, that is okay. We are not meant to understand them all, but we are meant to trust in His providence. Proverbs 3:" Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." I Corinthians 13 reminds me ," for now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face."
If you are feeling lost, down, or hopeless, know that Jesus has compassion on His people just as He did on the widow of Nain. This was her only son. She needed him, and Jesus told her not to weep , for He was about to take action. And if you are His by faith, then He has compassion on you as well. We forget that.
Secondly, note Jesus did something which is a pattern for us as well when we see a need and believe God wants us to meet that need. " and he came and touched the bier ( open casket): and they that bare him stood still. And he said, ' Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.' " Jesus' compassion led to action. He did this miracle of raising her son who obviously dead in front of the whole city/ town.
Does this happen all the time? Of course not. But Jesus had compassion on her. He wanted to show His glory and His power over death . We forget this too. When a loved one dies we grieve, and we grieve, and we keep on grieving, but we need the encouragement of the Resurrection to eternal life. " He talked to him as though He could hear Him. So he could hear Him! He talked to him as though he was alive. He was alive! The body was dead. The man was not dead. No man is ever dead when his body lies dead! There is dissolution between the spirit and the body, but not death. " G Campbell Morgan, Luke
The pattern for us is to trust in God when all seems lost. Our loved ones are with God . They live now through and in us, and we are the people we are because of them. We too should act in loving ways to those in need around us as God calls us to meet the needs of others. What needs are we to meet in our family among our friends and in our faith community that God is calling us to meet?
Lastly, in the middle of despair , death, and loss, a vision of the purposes of God is realized by the people . " And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, ' That a great prophet is risen among us; and , That God hath visited His people.' "
I wonder if we realize that our words and actions however insignificant they may appear are truly valued by God and do make a difference in those who see and hear them. God has visited His people when you share His love and compassion in deeds and words to those who are silently struggling with something you may have no knowledge of. I think we see God's actions in the pictures of beauty around us, a small child , a sunrise in the hill country, a project we complete that was on our to-do list that we never thought we would get done......May we rejoice as God visits His people . He does it in small and yes and even large ways.
Can we trust Him that He does want the best for us in this life as we prepare to serve Him in the life to come? Can we show to others His compassion and the fruit of the Spirit here so that in the life to come we will never weep again, for we shall then be with Him face to face. We shall be known as we are known by Him. We will have all we ever wished and have all that we ever needed---His complete presence in which there is joy forevermore. We will not be separated from those who love us .
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