[Jesus} said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” Luke 7:14
Nazareth and Nain are only about five miles apart. Jesus the Nazarene may have been personally acquainted with the widow whose only son was being carried to his grave.
The Nazarene comes to Nain as a true man – one who in human compassion tells the mother, “Do not weep.” Because of His true human nature He can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) because He in every respect experienced life’s ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, even death itself. He differs from us only in that He is sinless.
The Nazarene comes to Nain also as true God. This means: He can do more than offer condolences because, to use William Cullen Bryant’s expression, “a youth in life’s green spring” has been claimed by death; He can remove the cause for sorrow by raising the widow’s son from death, for Jesus Christ is the Lord of life and death.
Our Lord overcame death on that day when, outside Jerusalem’s walls, another widowed mother, Mary, saw her Son taken away by death on a cross. But He was to rise again by the same power that raised the youth at Nain from death. Thus the Nazarene, who is true man and true God, “destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10).
Jesus approaches us today in places small and great: in towns and townships, in cities and communities. He comes through the Word and the sacraments, sending also His Holy Spirit through them. And when He comes, He brings blessings, as He Himself declares, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, enter my heart and home and give me Your blessing. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 52 Psalms 57 Psalms 142 Luke 22:24-46
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