JESUS TRANSFORMS OUR LIFE
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.”
Luke 7:12-14 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Luke is the only gospel writer to record this story for us. There is a widow woman—that tells us she has already lost her husband. This widow’s only son has now died. This means she is left alone in life with no means for support. In the ancient society the men were typically the earners for the family income.
This widow woman walking to the cemetery with her only son is the picture of despair. Hope was gone. The future was uncertain. Darkness covered her soul.
Jesus sees the woman in her despair and “His heart overflowed with compassion.”
Look at that a moment and realize that Jesus sees us when we hurt. His heart overflows with compassion at our pain. Jesus doesn’t judge us or tell us to get over it. He doesn’t condemn us for being sad. Jesus hurts when we hurt.
Then Jesus speaks. First to the woman, “Don’t cry!” Was this a rebuke or an encouragement. I believe it was a word of encouragement because He knew what was about to happen. I believe Jesus was saying, “Hold on, things are about to change.”
Then Jesus walks over and touches the coffin. In Jewish society that would make Jesus unclean. But instead of the unclean coffin infecting Jesus the purity of Jesus impacts the person in the coffin. His purity is more powerful than the impurity of death.
Then Jesus speak to ears that are dead. “Young man, I tell you, get up.” There is so much power in the words of Jesus that dead ears hear from beyond the grave.
The power of Jesus’ spoken word travels beyond this earthly realm into the eternal realm and calls back that which has departed. I don’t understand how that works, but I believe one word from Jesus can travel through time and space because His words have no limitations.
One word from Jesus raises the dead. Restores the broken. Breaks the darkness. Destroys the chains of addiction. Heals the diseased. Frees the bound. Restores the lost.
You may begin this year headed to the cemetery, but one word from Jesus can transform your life. Let’s begin the year with ears that want to hear the voice of Jesus.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to have ears that hear Your voice. Help me to listen in my pain, confusion, frustration, and despair. You have a word for me. Help me to listen.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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