Jesus Wept

If you’ve been reading the blog since the beginning, you may recall that my family has a tradition of blessing our food. That simply means that we join hands, bow our heads, and verbally thank God for the food that we’re about to attack…I mean…eat. When I was a really small child and living with my great-grandmother, we said a verse from the Bible before we ever took a bite of the meal that was prepared.

Since I was the youngest in the family, I typically spouted, “Jesus wept.” It’s the shortest verse in the Bible. A fitting verse for a tiny girl. Or so I thought. Although it’s short in length, it’s mighty in strength. As a child, I couldn’t fully grasp what that meant. I don’t know that I can fully grasp it now, but that verse keeps coming to my mind. Jesus wept. So, I knew that I needed to write about it.

I shied away from exploring this verse. For one, it’s not a part of the cuzzo crew Bible study that I’m currently in. Two, it’s not a part of my Sunday School scriptures. Three, no one has preached a sermon on it or given me any insight that I can share with you. But still, Jesus wept.

It has just been running through my head. It won’t let me go. So, I have been forced to study this on my own. I’m seeking God’s guidance. I’m letting His Words guide this blog. I always do, but this feels different. Because Jesus wept.

This scripture is found in the gospel of Luke. These words are penned after Jesus arrives to see Mary and Martha. Mary and Martha had sent for Jesus because their brother, Lazarus was sick. Jesus does not come immediately when he gets word of Lazarus illness. He continues His work. He continues His ministry. And Lazarus dies.

Mary and Martha are honest with Jesus in their grief. They don’t hide their anguish and frustration. They cry out and say that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there. Jesus asks where they laid Lazarus. They tell Jesus to come and see. And then, Jesus wept.

My God. My Lord. My Savior. Fully God. Fully human. And He wept.

Commentators say that His weeping is an expression of sorrow. The human side shone through. Jesus knew that He was going to wake Lazarus from sleep in the next moment, and He still wept. He wasn’t unsympathetic to the pain that those around Him were feeling. He wasn’t out of touch with His own emotions either.

Maybe that’s why the verse, “Jesus wept”, continues to come to my mind. I’ve been very emotional lately. Moved to tears by things that would normally never break through my shell. (No, I’m not pregnant. That would be a Jesus miracle, and Jesus is already here.) If Jesus wept, why can’t I? I’m really talking to myself. He had the power of life and death in Him. He was on the verge of raising Lazarus and still He wept.

I think God is leading me to be okay with my emotions. If I feel like crying, I should. If I want to laugh, that’s okay too. Although Christ rules and reigns in my life…Although I know that I have complete and total victory…it’s okay to cry sometimes. After all, Jesus wept. #wepreach