She Didn’t Ask

The gospels are full of people asking Jesus to heal them or their loved ones.  In the first seven chapters of Luke alone we see Peter’s family asking Him to heal his mother-in-law of a fever, a man with leprosy asking to be healed, the friends of a paralytic lowering him through the roof, and a centurion asking Him to heal his servant.

But then we come to the widow’s son.  Jesus “happened” upon the funeral procession as He was traveling to Nain.  Scriptures tell us that “…when the Lord saw her (the mother), He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’  Then He came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still.  And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’  And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”

Why didn’t the mother stop Jesus and ask Him to heal her son?  Everywhere else we see people asking Him for healing, but she did not.  I have a feeling that she thought that there was nothing to ask for!  It’s one thing to ask to be healed of a disease, but quite another to ask to bring someone back from the dead.  Death is the ultimate defeat in the eyes of the world.  But Jesus didn’t wait to be asked… He knew her… He loved her… He had compassion for her.  And then He graciously went to her and answered her unasked prayer.

I’m not saying we don’t need to pray!  But isn’t it sweet to know that we serve a Savior who loves us that much?