Mother's Day and the Widow of Nain

 

I wish I could tell you that I never struggle with the concept of a God that knows and loves me.  I still have times where I wonder if he really knows what is going on in my life. And those questions seem to get louder on days like Mother's Day.

Today like most women, I had very low expectations for good things coming my way. I had tried to convince my kids to pick something out for me the other day when we were out shopping, but after 30 minutes of a four year old throwing a temper tantrum, and multiple shoppers offering to take her, I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Fast forward to Mother's Day eve, and I was at the grocery store by myself (a treat) to pick out what I wanted for a Mother's Day meal, and to select a bouquet of flowers for myself. I had zero expectations of getting breakfast in bed, and knew that the only special meal or gift that I would be receiving the next day, I would have to purchase.

So imagine my surprise, when while playing with my kids in the backyard, my parents walked through my gate not only carrying a potted flower for me with a card, but a great big cake. They visited for awhile, apologized that the weather wasn't going to permit a Mother's Day get together at their house, and we enjoyed dessert. They showed up for me when I neither expected them  to, nor asked them to. But it helped me feel seen.

And I can't think of a bettter story in the New Testament of feeling seen then in the story of the Widow of Nain. In this story, we read of a woman whose name we might never know, whose true anguish only God knows but whose experience with loss only Christ could heal. Often her story is overlooked and eclipsed by other New Testament miracles, and many of you might not be as familiar with this miracle as some of Jesus’ more famous ministerial acts. The story goes like this:

Jesus was in Capernaum where many of disciples lived, and performed miracles there. The New Testament account then goes on to say:

"And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her."

 

Not only did the widow of Nain face the gut-wrenching grief that comes from losing a precious child, but she also faced an uncertain future, and possible life of destitution because with no male relation left, she had no clear way to support herself. Perhaps these added stressors, coupled with her already immense grief is why the scriptural account continues:

 

"And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not."

 

But Christ doesn’t just say stop crying, I have come to redeem the world, all you need to do is read your scriptures, go to church, and I will comfort you. In the case of the widow of Nain, (and in our case too), he does more. The story then reads:

 

"And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother."

An article written by Keith J. Wilson an associate professor of ancient scripture at BYU, published in the April 2019 Ensign sheds addition light on why this story is so amazing.

“Capernaum is situated on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 600 feet (183 m) below sea level. Nain is about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Capernaum at 700 feet (213 m) above sea level, thus requiring an arduous, uphill climb to Nain. In order to walk from Capernaum to Nain, it would have taken at least one or two days. Recently, it took a group of youthful BYU Jerusalem Center students 10 hours to walk this route on paved roads. This means that Jesus probably had to arise very early or possibly even walk during the night in order to intercept the burial procession “the day after.”

Jesus Christ didn’t happen to pass Nain on his way to somewhere else, or just “dropped in” at the right moment because he “had a feeling,” He went out of his way, and at quite an expense to himself, to get to the widow of Nain at the moment of her greatest suffering and grief. He left the comforts of Capernaum, a place where many of his friends and disciples lived, in order to be where He needed to be in the moment of perhaps what was this woman’s darkest day not because he “happened” to be there at the right moment, but because God needed him to be there. Our Heavenly Parents knew what this woman needed, and came to her, even though those needs might not have ever been audibly spoken by her. He was there.

So when days are hard, especially this day, ask Him to come to you. To show up for you. On this day and others. And if He doesn't, look for someone bringing cake.

Love,

Maddie