“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” Luke 7:13-14
This is such a cool story. I love the way it is told. But there is something missing….
Jesus is approaching the village of Nain, and a funeral procession is coming out of the city. He sees the dead man’s mom weeping, and he has compassion on her….asks her not to cry. Everybody stops. Jesus touches the bier, and brings her son back to life.
What’s missing?
There is no record of anyone asking Jesus to stop and raise this person from the dead.
He just saw a broken heart and turned the day upside down out of his compassion.
I thought we had to ask for everything to get anything?
What to ask for? How often? In what way? (What if I don’t pray for the safety of my family today?) I know people who feel a need to “cover all the bases” in prayer or there’s trouble brewing.
Get the picture?
For years, I have lived in a fear nurtured by a misreading of James 4:2 (“…you have not because you ask not…”) I have been haunted by a vague anxiety that when I pray, I may not be “pushing the right prayer buttons,” and so God was not responding, just waiting for me to get it right, get my heart right, get my words right before acting.
What He is showing me is that the James verse is there to be sure I am not seeking what I want or need on my own, in my own way, but trusting HIM with all. My focus in prayer has ignored the truth of a real and compassionate Person, participating in life with me, aware of all my circumstances. He wants me to ask as part of that relationship to Him as my Father, the provider of all.
He wants me to know that He is the only Trusted Source.
And in the story of the funeral in Nain, He wants me to remember that He SEES me and in wisdom and compassion, acts beyond my requests.
“And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.” Luke 12:29-30
He knows.
He partners with me in my asking.
None of us always get what we think we want or need, but that isn’t the point for me. He is teaching me that I can live in confidence and security and trust His compassionate heart.
He sees me.
Sees you, too.
And in deep compassion, He’s stopping by.
SMOOTHSTONE: God sees me and in wisdom and compassion acts beyond my requests.
SmoothStones 