Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. Luke 7:11-12 ESV
You might say that the name of the town called, “Nain” could be translated as, “Nowheresville!” Unlike Jerusalem, Bethany or even the poor village of Nazareth where Jesus grew up, nothing ever happened in this place, and three of the four Gospels don’t even mention Nain. Yet, on one grief afternoon, Jesus left His active ministry in Capernaum and led His disciples there. Along the way, they met a funeral procession leaving the village. Here a man, was being carried out to the graveyard, by his friends. He likely was not yet married and only in his twenties, because there is no mention of either wife or children. Since his mother was a widow, and he being her only son, she would have depended entirely upon him for support. We also are given no reason to believe that either of them knew Jesus, but as Jesus drew close, their story changes.
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.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Luke 7:13-15 ESV
Though she lived in Nowheresville, Jesus knew where she was. Though her heart was filled with the bitter sense that poverty and loneliness lay in store for her, Jesus had other plans. And when she wasn’t even praying because she had lost all hope, Jesus came to answer far more than she had ever imagined asking. Are you living in Nowheresville today, wondering if God even knows where you are? Have unexpected situations left you desperate, angry and confused? God has better plans for you. He hasn’t forgotten. Jesus cannot forget, because your name is engraved on the palms of His hands. (Isaiah 49:16) In this brief message which I shared yesterday at Life Care Center, we take a closer look at why Jesus chose to visit what others would have called a God forsaken place. He came in answer to prayers never even prayed and gave answers far beyond what anyone could have hoped for, and He wants to do the same for you and I today. (Ephesians 3:20)
