The bible tells us that Jesus was
deeply moved, even to tears, when seeing Mary and other family and friends
mourning the death of Lazarus. Listen to
what scripture says in Matthew 11: 33-35…
When Jesus saw her weeping,
and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in
spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,”
they replied. Jesus wept.
I often just assumed that Jesus wept
because Lazarus died. After all, seeing
Jesus crying, the people said “See how
much he loved him.” (v36). But,
after a closer look, I don’t believe that’s why Jesus was crying. After all, in few brief moments, he was going
to call Lazarus out from the tomb, and I’m guessing, cause a huge celebration
to breakout. And, let’s not forget what
Jesus said earlier in the chapter – “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for
God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (v4)
Instead, I believe Jesus wept because
he was “deeply moved” (v33) by how
much the grieving family and friends of Lazarus were hurting.
I remember watching doctors physically
restrain my hysterical 3 year old daughter on an operating table and stitching
a cut in her forehead while she looked at me with hurt in her eyes that said
“daddy how could you let them do this to me?”
It felt as if my heart was being torn out. But, I also knew that she needed to go
through the surgery so her injury could heal properly. To interrupt what the doctors were doing
would have denied my daughter what was best for her.
I believe the same is true when we are
going through a difficult time. Jesus
not only walks through the process with us, but he also shares in our hurts. Jesus intimately knows the struggles and
challenges we go through and he cares deeply, but in his love and commitment to
us, like the death and rising of Lazarus, he will allow difficult circumstances
to touch us to bring a greater measure of God’s glory in our life.
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