Sometimes God is pictured as a standoffish, look down from the heights, does not understand nor care about my world, being. But the following statement knocks the legs right out from under that perception.
“When Jesus saw her, His heart broke.” (The Message)
There are two whopping truths in this short verse, but to get the full impact, let’s set the stage. (Luke 7:11-17)
Jesus and his disciples are trekking from the city of Capernium, arriving at the small town of Nain, along with the bulging crowd that followed Him. As they approach the town gate, their steps are halted by another large crowd; this one a funeral procession. On the bier is a young man. And among the mourners is his mother.
The first four words of the verse reveal Jesus “saw” her. More than a visual siting, the meaning includes “knowing, understanding, and having deep empathy”. He did more than pause as a funeral passed by.
When we see a funeral procession along the highway, cars streaming one after another with a small flag snapping in the wind, we’re aware these vehicles contain someone suffering deep loss. Yet we know nothing about them or the deceased. With respect, we pause, but jump right back on the road zooming on with our day’s agenda.
But, Jesus understood the bigger picture. That this was the only son of a widow. A woman who had endured the death of her husband, now experiencing a deeper sorrow. She had taken great comfort in this son they shared. Perhaps he reminded her of his daddy. His curly dark hair, the way he cocked his head when thinking, or the twinkle in his eye when he laughed. This boy brought a smile to her face. Joy to her life. He brought security and peace that as he grew into a man, he would take the responsibility of caring for her. He had become the love of her life. The center of her world. And now he was gone. Taking with him her hope. Her joy. Her future. She stumbled along the dusty road, grappling with the crushing reality of being alone. And Jesus understood it all.
Truth 1: God sees more than the outer physical circumstances of your life. He sees with clarity and depth of understanding what you are going through. He knows the complexity, the difficulty, the confusion and the elaborate nuances.
That startling fact is followed by a breathtaking statement. “His heart broke”. God’s. Heart. Broke. A clear indication of the depth of His knowing and compassion. His response was an intense, deep reaction. He was affected as he witnessed the woman’s shattering pain and stark reality.
No one asked Jesus to heal the young man. He took action on His own initiative. Out of the desire to make what was wrong, right. To give back life and therefore restore hope.
“Incarnate Compassion summoning its absolute power to dry a widow’s tears!”
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 105). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Truth 2: Likewise, this is how Jesus responds when He sees your heartbreak and overwhelming distress. Your pain and sorrow move Him. Your loss, frustration, and uncertainty cause a compassionate response within Him.
That knowledge brings great comfort to me. Does it you? To know that God does not just see our circumstances, but knows and understands all the intricacies of our situation. And us. He is moved and affected by our loss and pain. He has compassion towards us in what we are feeling and wrestling with and enduring. That moves Him from a distant somewhere-out-there God and puts Him right beside us, holding us, powerful compassion emanating from His heart to ours.
Take that deep into your soul, my dear sister. Whatever you are struggling with today or in this season, He sees and He is filled with compassion towards you. God’s heart breaks over your broken heart. Blessed be His Name.
Photo by Aliyah Jamous on Unsplash
