Reading: John 11, 12
My Verse: "Jesus Wept." (11:35)
This is an amazing thing! You, God, wept openly. You, God, were visibly distraught - "sighing repeatedly" and "deeply disquieted" as You approached the tomb of Lazarus. Why?
Was it to show us that You, in Your humanity felt the same sorrow we do at the death of a loved one? To show us that it is okay for us to mourn? That sorrow is very real and very much a part of our human experience? Your weeping showed Your humanness - Your sadness at the suffering of loved ones. By weeping openly You showed me that weeping does not need to mean lack of faith. Neither does it show weakness.
A footnote in the ESV says that there was anger mixed with Your sorrow, Lord. You were sad but also angry at the evil presence of death. Death was so not meant to be. You did not create us for that experience.
But, while I am here - on this earth - sorrow will indeed be a part of my life. It is very likely I will experience that pain of losing a loved one to death again before I myself die. And it is okay for me to weep. I am encouraged by this as I tend to be emotional.
Lord Jesus, thank You for showing Your humanity here, for showing me I need not be ashamed of my tears. "You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle - are they not in Your book?" (Psalm 56:8)
Greater still I thank You that I can look forward to that time when, "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
Knowing that You had victory over death enables me to deal with the sorrow. Thank You.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "Jesus Wept." (11:35)
This is an amazing thing! You, God, wept openly. You, God, were visibly distraught - "sighing repeatedly" and "deeply disquieted" as You approached the tomb of Lazarus. Why?
Was it to show us that You, in Your humanity felt the same sorrow we do at the death of a loved one? To show us that it is okay for us to mourn? That sorrow is very real and very much a part of our human experience? Your weeping showed Your humanness - Your sadness at the suffering of loved ones. By weeping openly You showed me that weeping does not need to mean lack of faith. Neither does it show weakness.
A footnote in the ESV says that there was anger mixed with Your sorrow, Lord. You were sad but also angry at the evil presence of death. Death was so not meant to be. You did not create us for that experience.
But, while I am here - on this earth - sorrow will indeed be a part of my life. It is very likely I will experience that pain of losing a loved one to death again before I myself die. And it is okay for me to weep. I am encouraged by this as I tend to be emotional.
Lord Jesus, thank You for showing Your humanity here, for showing me I need not be ashamed of my tears. "You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle - are they not in Your book?" (Psalm 56:8)
Greater still I thank You that I can look forward to that time when, "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
Knowing that You had victory over death enables me to deal with the sorrow. Thank You.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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