The song "Good Good Father" has been playing in my mind recently and for good reason. I am so blessed by my Heavenly Father and can't thank Him enough for all He has done and is doing in my life. As I was reading in Luke 7, the Lord showed me an example of how He truly is a GOOD Father.
11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 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. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 17 And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
Notes from the Reading
v. 11 - Jesus had just finished healing the Roman Officer's slave. Jesus traveled from Capernaum to Main.
v. 12 - A funeral procession was moving through the town to mourn the loss of a widow's son. This was a typical custom of the Jewish culture to have crowds mourning a loss together. It was not unlikely for strangers to join the procession and wear along with the loved ones.
v. 13 - Jesus saw a funeral procession and His heart OVERFLOWED with compassion. He wasn't just "touch" or "moved" by the emotion, but His heart was filled to overflowing with compassion. The verse specifically says that this happened "when He saw HER". Jesus saw a poor widow who had just lost her son, her only heir, her child, her way of provision into her latter years. This was heartbreaking in more ways than one.
v. 14 - The interesting thing is that even though Jesus was moved with compassion, He did not encourage the weeping. In fact, He clearly said, "Don't cry!" Jesus was not trying to brush emotions under the rug or force the people to be strong, He knew there was a better way, a solution, a free gift that He could easily give = LIFE. Jesus' words were full, not empty. He walked over to the coffin, TOUCHED it, and said to the boy "get up" and raised the boy to LIFE! Jesus backed up His words with action, like He always does!
In this story, Jesus proves His goodness by restoring life and so much more. This was more than a woman being sad for losing her child. This was he livelihood. She was already a widow and losing her son meant she'd have no one to care for her. Jesus saw the whole picture. He not only healed her heart but provided tangibly for her life. Isn't that true for us too? God always sees the entire scene. He creates that best answer and gives us all we need. He meets the desires of our hearts, helps us to rise above emotions, and provides in ways we wouldn't expect. We have a GOOD, GOOD Father! <3
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