Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” (Luke 7:11-13)
We’ve been to funerals and have sent sympathy cards, struggling to find words of comfort. Having gone through death and sorrow, we empathize. We often say, “He’s in a better place,” or “He’s not suffering anymore,” or, “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” I don’t believe any of us has said, “Don’t cry.” Crying is an essential part of addressing grief.
But this is a different situation. As the only son approaches his grave, death and sorrow meet Life, and it creates a beautiful picture. (Nain means beauty in Greek.) Hopelessness is replaced with hope. Only Jesus can provide hope that will make us not cry.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the hope of eternal life, being with God and our loved ones in heaven, a place where tears are not shed. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Really enjoying your bible study. Lytm
Thanks, Karen. I’m praying for you. This coronavirus isolation is difficult. You must be dying to hug your grandson. I love you, too. Blessings!
This one brought tears to my eyes. One of the last things mom said to me was, “Don’t cry, Pam.” How could I not cry? I was watching my mother die. They were the saddest moments of my life. I was overwhelmed with grief. Surely she knew that, yet she told me not to cry. I kept thinking of her words at the funeral and I didn’t shed a tear. Of course, the tears did come and I could not get her words out of my mind. I have thought about it a lot and I think it was her way of letting me know she was happy to go to Heaven. I think she was anxious to be with daddy. I think she was anxious to be healthy. Jody, as you so beautifully said, it is where death and sorrow meet everlasting life.
Mom’s words were Jesus’ words, and they are special words to you. I’m sure they’ll help you picture Mom and Dad jitterbugging, golfing, or playing bridge together now in the presence of Jesus without tears.