Give her something to eat…
This last week I had the privilege of standing over a nonagenarian Christ-follower as he passed into the Presence of the Lord. For the last few years my friend had been in a residential home where his octogenarian (almost nonagenarian) wife became a daily visitor. Restricted by age, mobility and illness, my old friend’s world slowly shrunk to the other residents, nursing staff, visitors and his wife. And finally, the other day, he did something that no one else can do for us, he did his own dying. His wife had not long left his side, having been with him all that day, and his pastor (me) took over the visiting baton, for the last couple of hours of his life (not that anyone knew that at the time).
In Luke 8 Jesus is on His way to heal, raise and defeat death on behalf of a little girl and her family. The synagogue leader had come to plead with Jesus on behalf of his only daughter, just 12 years old, (as a dad of a 12 year old, I empathise deeply), and Jesus responded. Yes! On finally reaching the home, He removes the mourners and wailers, as He, the Resurrection and Life comes into Death’s presence. With a grasp of a hand and a command from the Lord of Life, ‘My child, get up!’ the girl roused. ‘Her life returned (v.55).’ And then Jesus tells the family around to give the once-dead-now-alive 12 year old something to eat. Sure, that’s an authentication of the validity of the healing, but what a great detail from the Lord! He’s in the details!! ‘Give her something to eat.’
My friend’s wife, having watched her husband of over 65 years, slowly decline all day, had, through exhaustion, agreed to go home to rest and eat, with the anticipation of returning to visit the following day. And just a few minutes after she left, I walked through the door. I had the privilege of reading Scripture, praying over, talking with the kind staff members who came to pay their last respects about, and even singing to, my nonagenarian friend. ‘Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee. In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me,’ was just one of the lines I croaked out during those final hours. All the while my friend’s wife was at home having something to eat.
When the final breath came and went, which I observed, and a promotion to Glory, which I did not observe, took place, I had the task of going to my friend’s now widow, to tell her the news. All the while, in tiredness, she was having something to eat. Telling her, crying and rejoicing together, we re-visited the Nursing Home, together, one final time, with energy and resolve, because my friend had sustenance for the task, because she had had something to eat.
He's in the details: at life and death, He’s there. And He doesn’t miss what’s important, what validates His command or authenticates His presence. He knows what we need. For the Luke 8 girl it was a touch of the hand and a command to silence death, and then placing the food order. For my friends this week, He did something similar. Carefully took to Himself the soul of our dear brother departed, all the while, orchestrating events to give His daughter, now a widow, something to eat.
My dear friends, the Lord of Life knows what you need, and is present in the details of your needs. Let us rejoice that He is, trust Him to meet our needs, exult in His defeat of death, and celebrate His good gifts.
In your leadership today, in your church today, in your family today, in yourself today, He knows what you need. Go and get something to eat, for Christ is in the details.
Craig Hopkins