Whose burden are you carrying?

The miracle at Nain records a powerful story of Jesus raising a boy belonging to a widow from the dead (Luke 7:10-17). This story really grabs me due to the recent journey that I have been on. This lady in the story had obviously been through tragedy. Having lost her husband and becoming a widow. She had already been burdened with grief. Further, now her son had died suddenly. You can imagine the woman’s state of grief. This boy would have been of immense help around the home, being the only son. He was also the hope of the family name being passed on to the next generation. But all this was gone in a moment as the severe effects of death made this all apparent. Thus this lady is found in a funeral procession burdened with grief upon grief as she heads to bury her son.

My theme today is burden. I ask the question whose burden are your carrying. I recently shared a message on having the compassion of Christ. For in his compassion, Christ was burdened enough to meet people’s needs. As I and some of the people around me have recently decided to start intensely pray for the lost, God has been challenging me with this question. Whose burden are you carrying? Are you burdened enough? Are you burdened like Widow of Nain? See this story is relevant because many that we know though not physically dead like the boy in this story are spiritually dead. And just like the widow was burdened by this untimely death we need to be burdened by the death of our friends and family. When I speak of this burden, I speak not as one who has already received it. But instead I join with you my friend in asking God to open my eyes and touch my heart so I can be truly burdened by the lost ones he has given to me.

As the story goes, this burdened lady meets Jesus who is the giver of life. Jesus via his divine grace assesses her need, and raises the dead to life. My prayer is that Jesus will meet you today. That he will notice you in the funeral procession, where you lament for the lives of those who are doomed to eternity. Think about it. If you are not found lamenting, you will never be found rejoicing. Jesus can only bring back to life, those who are dead. Have you really understood your friends are dead? Do you want Jesus to bring them back to life? Then why don’t you pray? But don’t pray the usual way. Be burdened truly, by the spiritual loss of your friends. Pray the prayer of tears. Mourn your friends’ death, so that Christ might comfort those who mourn, and bring blissful life to those who are dead.