Deeply Grieved - The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge
Deeply Grieved
Mary . . . said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept. John 11:32-35
It had been four days since Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, died, and a fountain of grief still engulfed the sisters. They were in a valley they couldn’t see their way out of. As Jesus approached the edge of town, returning from a journey, a disappointed Martha ran to meet Him.
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She stared into His face with confused eyes. This was the same Martha who had always been in control, always ready for everything, always on duty. But facing her brother’s death hurt too badly. And she was angry because the one person who could have saved Lazarus wasn’t there to prevent it. He seemingly didn’t care, even though He always said He considered Lazarus and his sisters to be good friends. Martha had seen Him do miraculous things for so many others, yet when her family needed Jesus most, He was not there for them. Or so she thought.
And then Jesus wept. His heart was torn with grief. In one of the most sensitive moments in all of Scripture, Jesus displayed both His godliness and His humanity. He wept, not only for those suffering the loss, but also for the people who still didn’t believe He was the Messiah, their Savior, “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). No matter how much they had seen Him do and how many times He had told them, they still didn’t believe.
Death will come to all humanity, but death does not have to have the last word.
The story of Lazarus begins with the promise that those who believe in Jesus will never die. And it ends with a Savior who is with them in their time of loss. Just as He is with us.
Uncommon Key > Jesus wept with empathy and with sympathy—and in frustration at their unbelief. Is He weeping for you or someone you know? Read the entire story of Lazarus in John 11:1-45.
