PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 7 (click the link)
KEY VERSES:
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 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. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 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.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. (Luke 7:11-17, NIV)
REFLECTIONS:
How good are you at wailing? Me? I'm not so good at it. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I had a good cry.
However, in many countries of the world today, people attending funerals (especially the women) are expected to weep and wail and make as much noise as they can. I'm guessing you've seen video of such weeping and wailing on the evening news. A similar tradition was common in first century Palestine.
Most people in the West don't do that kind of mourning. But let's try to use our imaginations to place ourselves in the midst of the crowd that day at Nain. The dead man was the last, best hope of his mother. In the days before Social Security benefits, and before most women could earn a living all by themselves, a widow depended on her son to look after her. And now he's gone.
The whole village has turned out to grieve with her, to help her express, in that heart-rending fashion, the sorrow and fear that now seem to wrap themselves around her and cling to her like a cold, wet cloak.
As we are walking slowly along, to the burial-place outside the city, you become aware of a change in the mood over on the other side of the crowd. It's that prophet and his followers, the ones who've been going around saying that it's time for God to become King! Not sure we want folk like that around here, and this is hardly the moment for a political rally…
But what's he doing? He's coming up to the… to the dead man! What's he going to do now? He should know you can't touch dead bodies. It'll make him unclean. Surely he knows that!…
And then it happens. Jesus doesn't just touch the dead man. He speaks to him. Tells him in no uncertain terms to get up, like a parent telling a sulky child, it's time to wake up and get off to school. What does he think he's doing?
And then… Terror. Amazement. Fear. Tingles down the spine. The funeral wailing stops in its tracks and changes to the sort of celebration-noises people make at a wedding. He's alive! He's getting up! Jesus is smiling and laughing and handing him to his mother. She can't believe it. She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry or faint. She just hugs her son and then hugs Jesus, and it's laughter and hugs all around while the procession disperses with more of a buzz than fifty beehives put together.
What's happening? God has come to rescue his people! God has raised up a prophet! It's all true! God is becoming King!
But then Jesus, making his way back through the crowd, stops beside you. You half to wanted this, but were half afraid of it too. What's he going to say?
POINT OF PONDER:
Pause, and think, and listen. He has a particular word for you today. You can turn away, if you like, and pretend he isn't talking to you. But you might be far better listening to what he says. Then think and pray about what it means for his life-giving kingdom to come into your village, your family, your life.
WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and this past weekend Kate and I traveled down to Houston, where I had the privilege of performing the wedding ceremony for one of my oldest friends. It was such a joy to see so many of my old friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in 20+ years.
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