S) "35 Jesus wept."
John 11:35 (NASB)
O) This is the shortest verse in the Bible, and I've often considered that it's brevity is part of what makes this sentence so profound. There is no hyperbole, no exaggeration, and no embellishment. The simple words draw into focus, the base emotion Jesus displayed. By removing all other words that could have been there, by the absence of adjectives, there is a sort of sobering silence to this sentence. When Jesus was first told of the illness that had come upon His friend, Lazarus, it was no surprise. The response Jesus gave His disciples in v.4, makes it pretty clear that He understood already that the Father had a plan for this particular circumstance. Jesus delayed coming to see him and his sisters, in order to allow time for Lazarus to die. This was not negligence, it was purposeful; this was not procrastination, it was discipline. When Jesus told the disciples that Lazarus was dead, He knew there would be resurrection (see v.14 and 23), again, emphasizing that nothing about this story was a surprise to the Savior. Even so, when Jesus was confronted by the grief of Mary and Martha, and all of their friends and family who were weeping with these sisters, He was overcome with grief as well. No amount of preparation, expectation, foreknowledge, or wisdom was going to eliminate the heartbreak of that loss. It was not supposed to prevent it, it didn't have to erase it.
A) Many years ago, when I was a Youth Pastor, there was a family that lost a matriarch. There were two young women in our Youth Group at the time, and they loved their grandmother dearly. They were greatly troubled, and I was at a loss trying to minister to them in their grief. I had never lost anyone that way. I remember getting off the phone with one of them, after praying for her, and as I began to drive again I prayed to God for myself, asking Him to help me empathize with this family who was grieving. I remember I turned the next corner going home and had to suddenly pull my car over again, because I was unexpectedly overcome with the most severe heartache I could remember up to that point. I wept. After several minutes, I thanked God for showing me how the grief of loss could feel. I continued to pray for that family, then with a newfound compassion. It was about four years later before I lost a close family member, myself, when my mother died. She died in March, but the previous November, I think God was beginning to prepare me, almost warning me that she was not going to live a lot longer. I remember feeling a sort of shadow of grief, several times through that winter, when I would pray for my mother. She was quite sick, and had transplants and surgeries, trying to restore her life. When I got the phone call from my aunt, that my mother was sick, I did not delay at all, but quickly drove six hours to see her. I did not want to admit it in that moment, but as soon as I saw her, I feared it would not be long. She passed away a little more than a week later. I am forever thankful that God prepared me, even if I wasn't fully aware of it at the time. I am forever thankful that I did not hesitate to visit my mother, when I heard how her health was flickering. I suppose I might have prayed for God to resurrect her, but in truth, I think she would have been mad. Her passing was a relief to her strife-filled life. Even though my relationship with my mother was healthy and left no regrets behind, even though I was warned in my spirit that she would not be long for this world, even though I was certain that she was relieved of all struggles in the glory of the Father's presence, I wept. I wept, and Jesus understood.
P) Father, Your grace is all over my life. When I think of my mother, and my relationship with her, I am so thankful for Your hand that was plainly all over it. I know that this world is temporary, but death still hurts. I know that my relationship with my mother, strong as it was, still isn't the strongest I have. When I think of my own kids, or especially my wife, I know that there will be separation as one of us goes to meet You first. But, whoever is left grieving, I pray that they find the same compassionate comfort that I have come to know. When I weep again, let me remember that Jesus wept. When they weep, let them remember that Jesus wept. Thank You. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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