Luke 7:12 “And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.”
Do not for a minute miss the significance of this beautiful miracle. Are we to think that this was the only funeral procession Jesus ever passed on the road? Likely no. What is significant about this one is immediately pointed out here by Luke. And, it makes for one of the loveliest of testaments to the long-suffering love of Almighty God for the weak and suffering among sinful mankind.
Jesus was here about to do the unthinkable. To interrupt this procession without an intent to give this woman back her son would be the cruelest thing any person could ever do. But that was exactly His intent, and He did it very much on purpose.
We have to be careful to remember something so very important about our Lord Jesus. He it is Who was there at the beginning as the Godhead framed the worlds. He is no less than the Lord of Glory. And as such, He owns this entire universe and everything and everyone in it. Thus, it is all up to Him what is done with it. And in that power He decides here to make a statement to all of the weak, downtrodden, oppressed, sin-sick, troubled mass of humanity.
He intersects with the suffering of mankind here to make a statement. He comes in between us and the horrific consequences of a life that involves death. Death is the great plague, and Jesus is the Great Healer. That is how we are to view Him, because that is how He chooses to be seen.
Why not make it all better all at once? Why not take us all to heaven today? Why let this world go on in darkness and sin? Let me provide you who are troubled by this three excellent points. One: Will the formed say to the Creator, what are you making? No! We must never forget, He made us, and not we ourselves. Thus, we belong to Him. Two: The story is not long, but it is significant. This life is brief. God has not made us to live forever in this state, but has instead provided to us a clear picture of reality. Every moment is in preparation for eternity. Three: Though it is difficult for us to see now, the Spirit of God can provide visibility into the truth. The truth is that there is more significance to an individual life than our natural sinful ways will ever reveal to us. God has a plan for each one. But He has chosen to reveal it in this way. All are called upon to walk the path of Christ. All must be born, grow, learn, survive, suffer, cry, laugh, and so forth. All that the Lord has done is the standard. Some may die faster, and they are among the blessed. Others will live long, but they will see many hard things. In any case, each will walk behind Christ, and some will take His way, and others will not. But as Job of old, all will have their day in court, all will have an audience with God, and none shall come out the victim.
Heavenly Father, as we go through this life, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Jesus time and again helps us understand the importance of that. We long to see Your Truth, and hear Your Words. I know this is no game. Life is real and vital and all-important. Each moment matters, each word and thought counts. We are composing a story, a book of existence. And You have it all marked down. You know it all from beginning to end. Oh give us hearts to love Your law! Grace has given us the matchless law of Christ, which is no heavy burden. It is a yoke of joy, making wise the simple. We will praise You Father. You alone are worthy. You are the Self-Existent God. You need no other to prop You up. We do not have to see You for You to be real. You have made Your nature so abundantly clear to us by hiding the parts of it that You do. Give us the grace to be those who see You though invisible, who love You through suffering, and who trust You in the shadow of death. Show us that the law of life, the very power of Your Living Son is all that matters for us. Life in Him, and that abundantly experienced, is the greatest and best that we can know or have or love. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.