Read Luke 7:11-17

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. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Reflect

Nain is still a poor, little village in Israel you can visit today. In Jesus' time, a woman needed to be supported by her husband, or if she were a widow, by her son. This poor woman had lost both her husband and her only soon. Her future could not have been more bleak. Jesus' compassion for the brokenhearted and hopeless prompts this amazing miracle, one of three times that Jesus brings the dead back to life. Christ's power is matched only by his love.

Respond

The crowd's response to this miracle is filled with awe and praise, and news of it spreads fast. How could they not talk about what Jesus had done in their midst? Has Jesus done good things in your life that you might talk about today?