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 Jesus wept.  John 11:35 

  

John 11:35 is probably better known for being the shortest verse in the Bible than for anything else.  We do it injustice.  These two words could be the most loaded verse in all of scripture.  In context, John 11 clearly highlights Jesus as both the Son of God and as fully human during a time of stress. It serves as a great example to us for how to respond to turmoil in our lives, and what we can expect from Jesus.  Let’s dive in. 

  

Through verse 44, John 11 is the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  The story is very familiar.  Lazarus, and his sisters, Mary and Martha were friends of Jesus.  Lazarus was very sick.  Though the sisters had sent word to Jesus about the illness, by the time Jesus gets to the scene Lazarus has been dead for days.  It’s probably fair to say that Mary and Martha were in turmoil.  Their brother had just died, and their friend Jesus, who they knew could have prevented his death, had shown up later than they had hoped.  It was too late; their brother was dead.  

 

When Mary heard that Jesus had made it to town, she ran to him, fell at His feet, and wept. Her distress ‘greatly moved’ Jesus and then the most surprising thing happened - Jesus wept.  Later Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead but before we get to that part, let’s ask ourselves:  Why would Jesus weep?  Didn’t He know that Lazarus would soon be alive?  Didn’t He have the eternal perspective of life everlasting?  Didn’t He know that the turmoil that Mary and Martha were facing was temporary?  Of course He did.  Scripture tells us (v. 33) that He wept because Mary and Martha were hurting, because people that He loved were in crisis.  Mary’s grief troubled Jesus to the point that He wept, humanly.  Scripture doesn’t say this, but I can see Mary at His feet, then Jesus pulling her into His arms, followed by Jesus the Creator openly crying even though His own plans would have Lazarus up and walking in time for dinner.  He knew the happy ending that was coming that day but still He wept.  He wept from one friend to another.  And then He engaged as Lord by wielding the power and authority of a Creator with a plan when He returned Lazarus to life. 

  

So, what does this mean to us today?  How are we to have the Lord Jesus throw His arms around us during times of stress and turmoil?  How are we to settle down and trust in the Creator’s plan even if the timeline doesn’t make sense to us?  Here are three things to help get us ready.  The first thing to notice is that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus all had healthy relationships with Jesus before the turmoil came to them.  These relationships were built on love (v. 3) and faith (v. 21).  For us, daily prayer and time in God’s Word allow Jesus to more fully engage with us individually.  Spend time with God every day to strengthen your faith and develop your dependence on Him.  This will continually build your relationship with God.  Second, surrender to God and submit to His will when the days are pleasant (James 4:7).  This will make it easier to surrender to God when the days become difficult and our minds begin to cloud.  Third, know God’s promises (Psalm 33:4).  Having scripture written in your heart  keeps God’s faithfulness at the forefront of your thinking and anchors your emotions in trying times.   

 

When times get tough, call on His name, fall at His feet, and weep. He may even weep with you, but He always has a plan.  Never forget that you serve a loving, faithful, and empathetic Savior.