Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Jesus Christ Who Restores

 

Luke 7: 11-17

“When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”. vs 13

 The encounter of Jesus with the widow and her son is recorded in Luke’s gospel only and no other text in the Bible.
Jesus was touched by three things about this woman he met outside the city: First, her son was dead and he was “being carried out”. The dead man was the woman’s only son. Jesus definitely could understand the woman’s feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Second, she was a widow. So, two people close to her had died, not just one. Third, many people were with her. Death touched a whole village. No one was unaffected, unmoved or unconcerned.

In today’s portion we see a woman who touched the heart of Jesus without knowing who Jesus was and without asking Jesus to do anything. Here we read that Jesus has compassion on this woman and that is why He told her not to cry. He feels, knows and understands her pain. She senses this in His words. She hears something in His voice. He is sensitive. He knows what she is going through better than anyone else, and He is there to help. In telling her not to cry, He is telling her to trust Him. He knows what He is doing. He is in control. He gives her the one thing that could comfort her. Jesus raises this boy from the dead! Jesus tells him to rise, and he sits up, and begins to speak. 
She has her son back! He who was dead, had been restored to life and given to her once again.  After Jesus says, “Do not cry” He gives her a reason to turn her tears into laughter, her sorrow into joy. This is true comfort. This is Christlike compassion. It is unasked for. It is unsought. It comes just when she needs it. 

Jesus does that for you and for me. First, he does it most often without us even asking. We can be so thankful that God is always and continually working in our lives, behind the scenes, unlooked for, unasked to provide for us, and to meet our needs. God is always there. And He does this, as Jesus reveals in John 14, through the Comforter, through the Holy Spirit, in our times of sorrow and despair. When we face a tragedy, He comes to us at that time and says, “Do not cry. Do not weep. Let me turn your sorrow into joy” and restores us.

PRAYER

Heavenly Gracious Father, today we come before Your Holy throne of Grace to ask for Your compassion and restoration in our lives. Amen. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! (Ps 80:3).

 

Sherly Thomas

St. Thomas MTC, NY

 


Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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