God can fix any problem. Any problem. In New Testament times, a woman was completely helpless without a man to care for her and take responsibility for her. And that’s what happened to this widow when her only son died. So, she wasn’t just grieving the loss of a loved one: she was staring in the face of abject poverty.
Maybe you know what that kind of helpless despair is like. Maybe you know what it feels like to be out of options. Maybe you have no hope that things will ever get better.
If that’s the case, take a look at Jesus. For He had compassion on this poor widow, and that’s good news for us too. After all, because Jesus had more than His own share of heartaches during the time when He walked this earth, we know He is not indifferent to our sufferings. Yes, Jesus knows what it’s like to be poor, to lose loved ones, to be despised, to be rejected, to be cornered and to have no way out. So, no matter what you are going through, you can be sure that Jesus loves you and He understands.
But at the same time, we know that Jesus is supremely powerful, able to help us no matter what our troubles may be. For all He had to do was to touch the coffin and tell the corpse to arise and life came flowing back into that dead man. With a touch and a word, the widow’s grief was turned to joy, and the threat of her poverty was wiped away.
Yes, Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on Earth, even over sin and death itself. But how did He gain this power? God condemned His only Son to death not just so that this one widow could have her only son alive again, but so that all who trust in Jesus might have new life with Him today and eternal life with Him forever.
So, no matter what problems we face, surely we can trust a God Who loves us in such a self-sacrificial way. Surely we can trust a God Who wields such absolute power and authority. Surely we can trust Him to help us and save us in His way, in His time.
Luke 7:11-17 (NASB)
11 And it came about soon afterwards, that He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large multitude.
12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.
13 And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”
14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!”
15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”
17 And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district.
18 And the disciples of John reported to him about all these things.
