Jesus Wept

Two of the most quietly devastating words in all of Scripture appear in John 11:35, "Jesus wept." It is the shortest verse in the Bible, and it may be the most important one for anyone sitting in grief right now. Let it land before we move past it. Jesus wept.

He had just arrived at the tomb of His friend Lazarus. Mary had fallen at His feet, her words soaked in the kind of grief that does not bother with formality: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:32). She is not accusing Him, she is simply telling the truth of her pain, and she is telling it to the right Person. Jesus does not correct her theology. He does not immediately launch into a sermon about resurrection. The Scripture says He "groaned in the spirit, and was troubled" (v. 33), and then, He wept.

Here is what makes this remarkable: Jesus already knew what He was about to do. Within minutes, Lazarus would walk out of that tomb alive. He held the miracle in His hands the whole time. And He still wept. Which means His tears were not tears of despair or helplessness, they were tears of love. He was not weeping because He had no answer; He was weeping because the people He loved were in pain. The grief of those He loved moved Him to tears even when He knew the ending.

For the seasoned reader, sit with this: the eternal Son of God, through whom all things were made, stood at a graveside and cried. Grief is not a failure of faith. It is not a sign that you do not believe in resurrection. Jesus believed in resurrection more than anyone who has ever lived, and He still wept. Your tears are not a contradiction of your trust in God, they may, in fact, be one of the most honest prayers you ever pray.

He sees you in your grief today. And He is not unmoved.