Don't Cry!

Luke 7: 11-15

Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 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. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

In my last post, I asked for pray for my son, Ryan. Things have become a little less dark as I have been holding on to God’s promises through His Word and your prayers…Thank you.

My son’s life wasn’t surrounded by a white picket fence with a dad and mom who were happily married and God being in the center of their lives. We divorce when he was 4 years old and I remarried 2 months after my divorce was final, what a shock that must have been for a little boy. I won’t share all the details at this time, but I will say he’s had stuff piled on him from day one by my choices, his dad’s choices and his own choices.

Yesterday as I was spending time with God, he reminded me of Luke 7 and the mother from Nain, who was weeping the death of her son. After reading this section of scripture my eyes were drawn to these words…When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said.
Don’t cry? How could He make such a statement? Here was a mother who was looking at death, overcome by hopelessness. Then I came to this understanding,Jesus knew what was about to happen…a miracle was about to take place.

I’m sure we have all heard those same words in our times of hopelessness. We may not have gone through a physical death, like this mother, but the death we might be experiencing could be; the sporadic phone calls or friends who take the place of our presence. Maybe it’s the drugs that have taken over or possibly someone who has offered to fill the emptiness with their so called love. Yet, Jesus is saying “don’t cry.” A miracle is about to take place.

As my visit with Ryan ended that evening, he kissed me on the cheek, stepped out of the car and closed the door behind him. It was then I heard these words from the enemy “he’s mine.” I could see the darkness closing in on him, ready at any moment to devour him. I could see the bondage that Satan has wrapped around him, the spiritual death that is slowly claiming his soul.

After dropping him off, I drove to our Wednesday night church service and as I stood in front of God praising and desperately pleading words of mercy for Ryan, I knew my tears were not hidden from Him and I heard “don’t cry.”

In Luke 7, there are two other important things that took place once Jesus arrived. First,he walked over to the coffin, where death had claimed its victim and he touched it. Second, “Young man" he said. "I tell you, get up.” After reading these words my heart became overwhelmed with the presence of God. I realize now, all that needs to take place for Ryan’s spiritual death to be awakened is the touch of Jesus and the sound of His commanding voice speaking these words “I tell you, get up” and the miracle will take place.