Daily Devotional | Widow of Nain: Don’t Cry

Have you noticed through this study how much Jesus cared for women? Time and again, He met them personally and changed them profoundly. Luke 7 tells the story of the widow of Nain.

Jesus and His disciples went from Capernaum to Nain, a journey about 20 miles to the southwest. By this time, a large crowd was following Him. As they approached the town gate, a funeral procession was passing by. The body would have been wrapped in cloth and carried on a burial plank. The mother and many mourners followed.

Jesus learned that the dead person was the only son of a widow. Scripture tells us that when Jesus saw her, His heart filled with compassion (v. 13). A widow without children would have been utterly alone, devoid of provision or protection.

Then He did a shocking thing. He stopped the funeral procession (a breach of Jewish custom) and said to the woman, “Don’t cry” (v. 13). Everyone must have wondered Who is this man and what is He doing!? Jesus touched the coffin (an act of Jewish uncleanness) and said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” (v. 14).

To everyone’s amazement, the son immediately sat up and spoke. Then, Jesus personally reunited him with his mom. While the raising of Jairus’s daughter happened in the family’s home, this resurrection occurred at a city gate in plain view of the public.

Luke says the bystanders were “filled with awe and praised God” (v. 16). They called Him a prophet. Although they recognized that God was working through Him, they did not yet realize that Jesus was God Himself. Even so, news of His work continued to spread.

>> The passage can challenge us in many ways: to make up our own mind regarding the identity of Jesus, to worship and praise Him for His healing work. It also should motivate us to spread the good news of what He has done.