By Nancy Boote
Read: John 11:32-37
“Jesus wept.” (v. 35)
As humans the deep sorrow of grief will be part of all of our lives. We know that death is a part of life. Yet its arrival is inconvenient, unwelcome, painful.
Experiencing grief alone is its own deep sorrow. But when others join us in our grief, we have the strength to face another day and to keep moving forward even when we don’t feel like it.
Jesus joined Martha and Mary as they grieved the loss of their brother, Lazarus. Martha and Mary did not understand why Jesus didn’t come earlier as they requested. They believed that he was the Messiah and could have prevented their brother’s death. But when Jesus saw Mary weeping, “He was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (v. 33). The Greek word used here implies that he was angry and agitated. He felt their pain and experienced his own deep sorrow. Jesus joined Mary and Martha in their grief and wept with them (v. 35).
How often have you been comforted when someone has sat and wept with you? Having someone who understands our grief is comforting.
Mary and Martha were not alone. Yes, others mourned with them, but more importantly, Jesus mourned with them. Christ himself, who is “the resurrection and the life” (v. 25), did not abandon his friends in their time of need. In fact, he turned their grief into joy as he raised Lazarus from the dead.
Take your sorrows, my friends, to Jesus who loves and cares for you.
As you pray, know that Jesus is with you when you grieve.
—————
Nancy Boote, an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America, lives in Holland with her husband. She serves in a variety of leadership positions within the denomination. Besides being a wife, mother, and grandmother, Nancy enjoys taking prayer walks, hiking in nature, mentoring, and has a heart for justice matters.
Read: John 11:32-37
“Jesus wept.” (v. 35)
As humans the deep sorrow of grief will be part of all of our lives. We know that death is a part of life. Yet its arrival is inconvenient, unwelcome, painful.
Experiencing grief alone is its own deep sorrow. But when others join us in our grief, we have the strength to face another day and to keep moving forward even when we don’t feel like it.
Jesus joined Martha and Mary as they grieved the loss of their brother, Lazarus. Martha and Mary did not understand why Jesus didn’t come earlier as they requested. They believed that he was the Messiah and could have prevented their brother’s death. But when Jesus saw Mary weeping, “He was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (v. 33). The Greek word used here implies that he was angry and agitated. He felt their pain and experienced his own deep sorrow. Jesus joined Mary and Martha in their grief and wept with them (v. 35).
How often have you been comforted when someone has sat and wept with you? Having someone who understands our grief is comforting.
Mary and Martha were not alone. Yes, others mourned with them, but more importantly, Jesus mourned with them. Christ himself, who is “the resurrection and the life” (v. 25), did not abandon his friends in their time of need. In fact, he turned their grief into joy as he raised Lazarus from the dead.
Take your sorrows, my friends, to Jesus who loves and cares for you.
As you pray, know that Jesus is with you when you grieve.
—————
Nancy Boote, an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America, lives in Holland with her husband. She serves in a variety of leadership positions within the denomination. Besides being a wife, mother, and grandmother, Nancy enjoys taking prayer walks, hiking in nature, mentoring, and has a heart for justice matters.
