Focus: 11th Hour Miracle

Text: Lk.7:13

"And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep.""

The Lord Jesus Christ arrives in the city of Nain in Galilee with his disciples and a large crowd. While still at the city gate he sees another large crowd on a funeral procession. While the mourning crowd is stepping out, Jesus Christ and his crowd are stepping in, and the city gate is the meeting point. The lesson here is that your way out can be Jesus' way in. Hope is not lost when the master finds his way into your situation.

The mourners from the city of Nain are going outside of the city gate to bury the only child of a widow. She is already husbandless, and now she has also become childless. You can imagine the loss and the pain. A great multitude from the city mourns with her. Her pain is deep, and her tears flow uncontrollably and unceasingly. Husband and son gone, one after another. She is now left alone, and the feeling of loneliness is quite overwhelming. Where will she go from here? Death has left a sour taste in her mouth, and her heart is broken. Her future seems bleak, dark, and bland. She is bereft of hope and joy.

The master Jesus Christ sees her wailing so helplessly and hopelessly, and felt deep compassion for her. He says to her, "Stop crying." In essence he says to her, 'I am here to wipe away your tears and relieve you of your pain. Sorrow no more.' In that moment he moves to the pallbearers and touches the coffin, and says, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." The Greek word for 'young man' is 'neaniskos.' It speaks of a man who, at most, is not beyond 40 years of age, meaning that he died in his prime of life.

Luke reports that as soon as Jesus Christ gave that order, that "he that was dead sat up, and began to speak." Then Jesus Christ hands the young man over to his mother.

The widow revives and rejoices, and the city of Nain jubilates. Nain means 'beauty, delightful, pleasantness, lovely or loveliness, charming, or green pastures. In its verbal form (Naem), it means 'to be pleasant.' It shares the same root as the name 'Naomi.' Jesus Christ works wonders. He goes everywhere, doing good and touching lives. He takes ugly situations and makes them into a thing of beauty.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is a story changer - a life changer, a destiny changer, a mountain mover, the way maker, the transformer of hopeless situations, the redeemer of ruined lives, the healer of the sick, the resurrection and the life, and the beautifier of the ugly.

He knows how to change a seemingly disastrous end to a brand new beginning. He knows how to take you from the end of the tether to the top of the ladder. He does impossible things. He uses what looks like disgrace to manifest His grace. He is the maker of the 11th hour miracle.

When all hopes are gone, He shows up and imparts fresh hopes. He is the restorer of lost hopes and wasted years. He is the restorer of the years that the locust, the cankerworm, the caterpillar and the palmerworm have eaten. He takes over your story, makes it His, and gives you His own story. He turns tears of sorrow into tears of joy.

Just at the 11th hour He compassionately steps into action and ends the grief of a widow. He doesn't seem to run fast, but He never comes late. The 11th hour is like any other hour for Him.

Listen to me, you are about to experience the 11th hour miracle. Christ is working on your case. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

by Bbishop Moses E. Peter