He Understands Us

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

I was settling into my seat at a women’s conference when I heard an unexpected noise from the level below.

At the front of the room, the speaker, Lisa Harper, had barely started her message when a woman in the audience began to wail.

Instead of being rattled by the interruption, Lisa seemed unperturbed. After quietly asking the woman’s friends to help her into the hallway where they could pray for her in private, she addressed the crowd with words that resonated in my heart.

“Jesus never told anyone to stop crying,” she said.

Huh, I thought. Though I’ve cried plenty of times, I’ve never considered Jesus’ reaction to tears or other emotions.

Yet over the next few days, as I continued to mull over her words, they reminded me of the story told in John 11. Jesus receives word from Mary and Martha that Lazarus—their brother and Jesus’ friend—is sick. By the time Jesus returns to their home in Bethany, Lazarus has died.

What’s interesting is that Jesus already knows that Lazarus is dead—he tells his disciples before they even arrive. He also knows that he has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. But in that moment, when he is faced with his friends’ grief over their brother, he doesn’t say any of that. Instead, he weeps.

What I love about Jesus is that even though he sees the big picture, he meets us in the moment. Jesus doesn’t wave away Mary and Martha’s grief or reassure them that he will raise Lazarus from the dead, as he later does. Instead, he demonstrates compassion. The same is true of the way Jesus cares for you and me. Hebrews tells us that he understands us—our weaknesses, our humanity—and loves us anyway. We can be grateful that we don’t serve a distant God who cares nothing for us. No matter our circumstances or situation, his mercy and grace are always available to us.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Thank God for his compassion.