Day 145: Luke 7:11–17

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Don’t cry” (v. 13).

How hard must it have been for Christ to possess all authority but stick to a kingdom plan requiring its timely exercise? Even now, He could sneeze on Satan and blow him to oblivion, but that’s not the plan. Satan’s prompt demise would spare us trouble, but it would also spare us growth resulting in many rewards. So until the right time for Satan’s disposal, Christ restrains Himself.

Other areas of restraint must have also been challenging for Jesus as He walked on this pavement. For example, imagine the thoughts this funeral procession must have provoked in the mind of the author of life.

I think the very lordship of Christ overwhelmed Him at that moment in Nain. No one else in the crowd could do anything about the widow’s plight. They possessed no power. Christ was the only one present who had lordship over the living and the dead. His heart went out to her. He felt deeply. He spoke only two words to her: “Don’t cry.” We’ve all said those two words to someone who was brokenhearted, but I believe Christ probably meant something a little different.

I don’t know about you, but most of the time when I’ve said to someone, “Don’t cry,” my heart was saying, “Please stop crying. I can’t bear to see you in so much pain!” Usually the words come from one who can’t stand to see the hurt because she is powerless to help. Christ, on the other hand, is never helpless. When He said, “Don’t cry,” He meant, “Not only do I hurt for you, but I’m also going to do something about the cause of your hurt.”

Verse 14 records Jesus’ initial action: “He went up and touched the coffin.” Picture the structure more like a stretcher than our Western concept of a coffin. The body was placed on a board and shrouded with burial linens. Now imagine Christ walking up and touching this burial slate.

The first thing we read after Christ touched the bier is that the ones who were carrying it stood still. They probably stood there bug-eyed. You see, for anyone unnecessary to the interment process to risk touching the dead body was a serious no-no. Jesus was ritually defiling Himself. What they couldn’t have realized is that the Son of God could not be defiled no matter what He touched. One day soon He would literally take on the sins of the entire world while still remaining the perfect Lamb without spot or blemish.

We’ve already seen that Christ did not need to touch to heal. He didn’t even need to be present. He seemed to touch because it came natural to Him. I’m anxious to share with you what “touched” means in today’s context. The word is haptomai, from the word hapto, meaning “to connect, bind.” Haptomai means “to apply oneself to, to touch.” The word “refers to such handling of an object as to exert a modifying influence upon it.” Christ Jesus literally connected Himself to the situation. We apply all sorts of medication for hurts. Christ took one look at this woman’s grief and applied Himself.

I hope you’ll also be blessed by the Greek antonym or opposite term for “touched”—egkrateuomai. You will find the English translation of this word listed at the very end of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23. The word is “self-control.”

In today’s text, imagine Christ acting out of exactly the opposite of self-control. Stick with me here until you grasp the meaning. When Christ saw the woman in such agony and faced with such hopelessness, I’m suggesting He literally cast off self-restraint and reacted! The difference between Jesus and us is that He doesn’t sin even when He casts off self-control! Christ does not depart from the Spirit whether He responds or reacts.

Herein lies the most profound difference between the miracle in Nain and the previous miracle of the centurion’s servant in Capernaum. In the widow’s case, the only prerequisite was her pain. Unlike the centurion, she made no request. She exhibited no faith. In fact, we have no idea if the grieving mom even realized Christ existed. She was probably too enveloped in her own agony to notice. He awaited no conditions nor apparently had any intention of using the moment for instructional purposes.

Jesus ran into a woman in hopeless despair and just reacted with what came most naturally to Him—healing mercy. Oh, how I praise Him! I believe we possibly have a small glimpse into what Christ would do in every one of our despairing situations if a greater plan was not at stake. I believe what comes most naturally to Christ every time He encounters need is to instantly fix it. Is it possible He exercises great restraint to work any other way in the face of devastation? I think so.

A plan of profound importance exists that sometimes overrides the miracle we desperately desire. But I am comforted to know that instantaneous healing and resurrection power come even more naturally to our Christ than waiting and working through long but necessary processes. The biggest reason why I can trust in the sovereignty of God is because I am so utterly convinced of the sweetness of God.