Life at Nain

    Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 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. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
    Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, Jesus gave him back to his mother.
    They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

  Luke :7-11 NIV

    Nain was a thriving village, that sat on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley of Jezreel. In spring the valley of Jezreel was abundant with grass, wildflowers and every breathe taken revealed the fruit trees in blossom.
    The windows heart however, sat in the valley of the dead of winter.
    Two losses had invaded her family. First the loss of her husband. And now her only son.
    She had faced uncertainy for years, her furture in ruins. And now she will have to face this alone. No husband or son to provide for her, she will become totally dependent on the generosity of others.
    No longer a husband to comfort her, when sadness and tears come in the night. Awakening to an empty bed every morning. No meals to prepare for. No one to share the holidays with, common days, or any other day for that matter. No husband to share the twilight years with. And no one to look after her in the Autumn years of her life.
    The only thing that remains is an empty house. A home that gave up years ago the hope of a returning husband coming home from work. And now, it waits no longer for that husband's son to come home.
    Sounds of conversation around the dinner table about the days events are silent. No laughter erupts in the home, no intimate conversations late at night with her husband. Only grief flowing from one room to another.
    All of her memories are now tied in a small bundle. These memories seemly not enough to warm her from this present loneliness, or to keep her warm in her old age.
    The coffin leads the procession to the cemetary outside of town. Following behind is the dazed and distraught mother, relatives, friends and mourners.
    As the crowd is leaving Nain, another crowd is entering. One crowd follows the coffin, the other crowd is following Jesus. The one crowd is overwhelmed with sorrow, grief and despair; the other, with hope overflowing.
    At the gate, Jesus followers stand aside for the funeral procession. Here at this point of intersection----- life and death meet. What spands these two valleys is a mothers torrent of tears, and unimaginable grief.
    The mothers heart is wrung with tears, and Jesus sees, every thought of the days events that had preoccupied Him flees. His whole attention focuses on this mother filled with grief.
    Jesus only, knows her desperation. Jesus feels the pain. Jesus sees her tears.
    And the mothers tears, are the flame that melts His heart.
    Jesus extends His hand to the coffin, the mourners stop. His concern is not that touching the coffin would render Him unclean under rabbinic law. His only concern, is for this grieving widow and mother.
                               "Don't cry"
    These words were not found in a counseling session or text book on helping those who are hurting. They came form a heart, like water seeping from cracks in a rock face, exploding with compassion. Jesus turns His attention to womans son.
                               "Young man, I say to you, get up"
    Only two words to the mother, eight to the son. But those words were enough, enough to pull the son from deaths grip, and place him in his mothers arms.
    As the young man rises he speaks, we are not sure of the words, but I am certain one of the first words from his mouth were, mother.
    The Saviors power is displayed. But something deeper, something under the surface occured at the  meeting of life and death.
    A miracle was not asked for by the mother. Falling down at the Saviors feet, asking for her sons life did not happen. Great faith was not demonstrated by the grieving mother, as matter of fact, faith was the farthest thing from her mind, if at all. And as far as you and I know, she had never heard of Jesus.
    That is what is so incredible.
    There was no human intervention, no asking. This was not a class room to teach a lesson to the disciples. There wasn't even any thought of Christ diety to show skeptics the truth.
    This miracle was poured out from a heart of divine compassion. So free was the water of life. So pure from whence it came. So gentle were the hands that held this cup of living water, and brought it to the mothers lips.