Mary and Martha experienced just this when their brother Lazarus died (John 11). Jesus heard His close friend was sick but he waited before coming to their side. By the time He got there, Lazarus was gone. The grieving sisters met Jesus – “If only you had been here – he wouldn’t have died.” You can hear a question as much as a statement as their heart cried – “where were you?”
Jesus went up to the tomb where they had buried Lazarus days before. Standing there with his close friends, Jesus wept. Yes, Jesus wept. His heart, too, was broken. Why? Remember, Jesus was going to raise him in the next few minutes. I think Jesus was there grieving with His beloved friends as their hearts were broken. He knew what He was about to do, but in that moment, He mourned with his friends.
I think in times of crisis, of deep hurt and loss, Jesus sits with us and cries. He knows what is coming, but He is there in the present moment weeping with us as we weep. Jesus is there. He is in the funeral home. He is with the sick, the lost and the forgotten. Whether we’ve lost a loved one or a dream, He cries because we are hurting. He loves us, aches when we ache, and He mingles His tears with ours.
When my heart breaks, I find comfort knowing the King of the universe knows my pain and shares in it.
How have you experienced God's comfort and presence in a difficult time?
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