John 11:35
“Jesus wept.”
Two short words; but two powerful words. I have family members (for generations) that like to joke that this is their favorite Bible verse. Of course, they are being silly, loving to laugh at their comment because this is the shortest verse in the entire Bible…and the easiest to memorize. But the truth is there is a lot to learn and understand from these two seemingly trivial words. They are far from that.
Isn’t there something comforting in the fact that we as Christians have a Savior Who actually wept in His humanity? He experienced the same emotions we, ourselves, experience.
To me that is beautiful. To me that is reassuring. We have a Savior and a risen King Who cares enough about us to cry with us; to empathize with us in our sorrow.
The Scripture only tells us that when Jesus saw Mary and the other Jews weeping at the death of Lazarus He “groaned in his spirit and was troubled.” The Bible doesn’t really tell us why He wept. Many believe he wept because He was so saddened by their lack of faith. Some believe He wept because he felt their grief as His own. Regardless of the interpretation, Jesus wept because He loved and cared for these people.
The greater thing for me is that through the keeping of this Scripture in John, we are able to still see this caring act by our Lord and Savior for ourselves today.
I remember a time in my life when I was feeling a bit guilty over crying at a loved ones’ funeral. I shouldn’t be crying, I thought, this person is with the Living Lord; his sorrow and pain has been taken away. Then I remembered these two words: “Jesus wept.” Immediate comfort and relief came over me. It is ok to cry, I reasoned. Jesus cried. He set an example for us with His tears.
Of all the views that one may consider was the meaning behind Jesus’s tears and deep emotion, this is the one most important to me. It really is ok to express your emotions, however raw and deep. And we have a risen Lord Who understands it all.
Luke 19:41
Psalm 56:8
“Jesus wept.”
Two short words; but two powerful words. I have family members (for generations) that like to joke that this is their favorite Bible verse. Of course, they are being silly, loving to laugh at their comment because this is the shortest verse in the entire Bible…and the easiest to memorize. But the truth is there is a lot to learn and understand from these two seemingly trivial words. They are far from that.
Isn’t there something comforting in the fact that we as Christians have a Savior Who actually wept in His humanity? He experienced the same emotions we, ourselves, experience.
To me that is beautiful. To me that is reassuring. We have a Savior and a risen King Who cares enough about us to cry with us; to empathize with us in our sorrow.
The Scripture only tells us that when Jesus saw Mary and the other Jews weeping at the death of Lazarus He “groaned in his spirit and was troubled.” The Bible doesn’t really tell us why He wept. Many believe he wept because He was so saddened by their lack of faith. Some believe He wept because he felt their grief as His own. Regardless of the interpretation, Jesus wept because He loved and cared for these people.
The greater thing for me is that through the keeping of this Scripture in John, we are able to still see this caring act by our Lord and Savior for ourselves today.
I remember a time in my life when I was feeling a bit guilty over crying at a loved ones’ funeral. I shouldn’t be crying, I thought, this person is with the Living Lord; his sorrow and pain has been taken away. Then I remembered these two words: “Jesus wept.” Immediate comfort and relief came over me. It is ok to cry, I reasoned. Jesus cried. He set an example for us with His tears.
Of all the views that one may consider was the meaning behind Jesus’s tears and deep emotion, this is the one most important to me. It really is ok to express your emotions, however raw and deep. And we have a risen Lord Who understands it all.
Luke 19:41
Psalm 56:8
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