Luke 7:11-17   "And  it came about soon afterwards that He went to a city called Nain..."  We know that Jesus did and said only what the Father led Him to do or say.  This trip to Nain was no coincidence.. it was not by accident that Jesus entered the city just when they were carrying out this dead man... "the only son of his mother .. a widow." 

Jesus "approached".. Jesus "felt compassion for her".. Jesus said words of comfort "Do no weep."  She had no idea what Jesus was going to do.. we don't even know if she knew who He was.  But, when He stopped the procession, when He touched the bier.. when He spoke to her dead son.. and when this beloved son sat up and spoke.. she knew! "And Jesus gave him back to his mother." 

Imagine this! Oh the sorrow... to lose a child.. to feel the loss of the only one left. And Oh the joy!  This son restored to life right before your eyes.  "And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God!"  

Eyes were opened that day.. not just the eyes of a dead son and his grieving mother.. but all those who followed Jesus to Nain and all those coming out of the city.. "a sizeable crowd" that accompanied her.  "And the report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district." 

There was much talk about Lazarus being raised from the dead.... but this first display of the power of Jesus to raise the dead seems to be less well known.  He raised the daughter of Jairus, He raised this young man, and He raised Lazarus.  How many more did He raise that we do not have a record of?  How many did He touch before they died that would not have made it without His intervention.   Jesus has not changed and His authority over life and death has not changed either.  His compassion is so great and His power is without end. We can trust Him to complete the Father's plan for each of us. The older I get the more I realize that only He has control of my life and my death.. and my eternal home-going. I know I can trust Him with my own life and with that of my family.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Father, we rest in You.. in Your precious promises.. that You will never leave us or forsake us. You have written down the days of our lives since before we even came from our mothers' wombs.  We are on the road, on the way to our eternal home with Jesus holding us close the whole way.  Thank You Father for such a great Savior. Thank You that He lives in us who believe.. and we live in Him forever.  Jesus, the Vine and we the branches.. abiding together as we keep our eyes on eternity with You .. Praise God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen