Gave Him Back To His Mother, April 8
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Tom Corbell
“When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry’” (Luke 7:13 NIV).
One day Jesus and a large group of His followers were entering into a town as a funeral procession for a young man—who was the only son of his mother—was heading out to the cemetery.
Can you picture the scene? What a contrast between the crowd that was following Jesus and the crowd following the widow and her dead son. Jesus was heading for the city, while the mourners were heading for the cemetery. Jesus and His disciples were rejoicing in the blessing of the Lord, but the widow and her friends were lamenting the death of her only son.
Two only sons met. One (Jesus, the only Son of the Father) was alive—but destined to die; the other (the widow’s son) was dead—but destined to live. After touching the body, Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” and he did (see Luke 7:14 NIV).
Today’s verse tells us that when Jesus first saw the grieving mother, “his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’”
If you or I had been passing by the funeral procession, our heart might have gone out to the mother, and we too might have said, “Don’t cry.” Yet, this would be where the comparison would stop. With only His touch, Jesus raised the son from the dead.
How did Jesus do this? Jesus appeared to many as a traveling teacher who shared His wisdom and compassion with others. But we know Jesus was the Son of God who came to earth to die so that we may live with Him for eternity. To put it simply, Jesus died so that we may live without fear of dying.
If you were able to truly live unafraid of dying, how would this change your cancer journey? Honestly, it’s the hope. Cancer can at times spoil our hopes:
“I hope the biopsy comes back clean.”
“I hope it’s operable.”
“I hope it’s not in my lymph nodes.”
“I hope I do not have to have chemotherapy or radiation.”
We can each face the fragility of these hopes in one of two ways:
Fear that our cancer path is not going the way we had hoped.
Renewed wonder in the unfathomable gift of living each day fearlessly because Jesus conquered death.
Breathe in the impenetrable truth that cancer doesn’t alter your spiritual journey with Jesus. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55 NIV) Death is conquered! Hallelujah!
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for making it possible for me to be reunited—given back to —those who have gone before me. It took Your death and resurrection to make this possible. To God be the glory! Amen.
Your Turn: Look at the lists of hopes above. Do any of these hopes or other hopes resonate with you? If so, pray and ask for God to grant you your hopes. Then, end your prayer proclaiming Jesus’ victory over death by saying this scripture: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Tom Corbell, Hospice Pastor
Tom is a Lutheran pastor who has served Jesus in both North and South Carolina for forty-nine years. Six of those years he worked as a Hospice Chaplain, and he encountered cancer daily. The privilege of praying, working with and supporting cancer patients and their families is an honor.
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