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Draw Close to God

A Restorer of Life

Luke 7:11-15

HAVE you lost someone close to you in death? If so, you have had one of life’s most painful experiences. Our Creator understands your grief. More than that, he can undo the results of death. In the Bible, he has given us a record of past resurrections in order to demonstrate that he is not only the Giver of life but also the Restorer of it. Let us consider one of the resurrections that he empowered his Son, Jesus Christ, to perform. The account of this miracle is recorded at Luke 7:11-15.

The year was 31 C.E. Jesus had journeyed to the Galilean city of Nain. (Verse 11) It was likely close to evening when he arrived at the outskirts of the city. The Bible reports: “As he got near the gate of the city, why, look! there was a dead man being carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her.” (Verse 12) Can you imagine the grief of that widowed mother? With the death of her only son, she was deprived of her provider and protector for the second time.

Jesus focused his attention on the grieving mother, who was likely walking near the bier that carried the body of her dead son. The account says: “When the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: ‘Stop weeping.’” (Verse 13) Jesus was deeply moved by the plight of that widow. Perhaps he was thinking about his own mother, likely widowed by then, who would soon be grieving for him.

Jesus approached—but not to join the procession. With a gesture of authority, he “touched the bier” and brought the crowd to a stop. Then with the voice of someone who had been given power over death, he said: “‘Young man, I say to you, Get up!’ And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother.” (Verses 14, 15) That young man had ceased to belong to his mother when death claimed him. So when Jesus “gave him to his mother,” they became a family once again. The grief in that widow’s heart no doubt gave way to tears of sheer joy.

Does your heart long to experience such a joy—to be reunited with a dead loved one? Be assured that God feels for you. Jesus’ empathy for that grieving widow reflected God’s own compassion, for Jesus perfectly mirrored his Father’s personality. (John 14:9) The Bible teaches us that God yearns to bring back to life the dead who are preserved in his memory. (Job 14:14, 15) His Word, the Bible, gives us a wonderful hope, namely, the prospect of living in a paradise on earth and seeing the resurrection of our dead loved ones. (Luke 23:43; John 5:28, 29) Why not learn more about the Restorer of life and how you can make that hope your own?

[Picture on page 23]

“The dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother”