Jesus Wept

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A couple of days ago I was reading in John 11. Sometimes I feel like a new believer when reading the bible. There are just a lot of stories that I haven't read in a while. Reading them in this stage of life really sheds light on different things (almost every single time). I pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal things to me and He does. So last week it was when I was reading about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. How many of us have heard the shortest verse in the bible is "Jesus Wept". I think it's even on game shows...

Well, I so happen to have forgotten, or may have never known it was about Jesus weeping after Lazarus had died. So let me give you an idea of things that stuck out to me about Chapter 11 in John. I realize there is more to this chapter but here is how the Lord used it this day:

1. vs. 3 "Lord, the one you love is sick". So here we learn Jesus loved Lazarus.
2. vs. 33 "When Jesus saw her weeping (and the jews) he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled"
3. vs. 35 "Jesus Wept"
4. vs. 38 "Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb"

As you can tell by my bolded words it really stuck out to me that Jesus was so moved by the death of Lazarus. For me, I use the word "deeply" and "wept" for very, very strong emotions. If tears came to my eyes or a feeling merely passed by I wouldn't use the words deeply or wept. Jesus cared, a lot! He loved this man a lot! He knew, more than anyone, where this man would end up for eternity. Yet, he wept. He knew he was going to raise him from the grave. Yet, he wept and was moved deeply. Jesus, of all people, who has the perfect picture of eternity, heaven, and of His father, God....wept.

It just encouraged me b/c I feel like so often as believers there is an either unspoken/spoken expectancy to not grieve when someone we love deeply dies and goes to be with our heavenly Father. So many times it seems like we are expected to grieve for a short time but it better end rather quickly "get over it" and end in joy! I feel like so many times we sweep these hard, deep emotions under the rug and instead remind people to be joyful that their loved one is with Jesus.

So here, in John 11 the Holy Spirit reminded me that Jesus, of all people, cared deeply, was moved deeply, and wept. He wept. The God I worship, the son who died for me wept over the death of a loved friend. That's all...it encouraged my heart greatly that day and made me thankful Jesus felt "deep" emotion and was "moved" for this friend he cared deeply for. Just as we would for a loved one we cared deeply for.