Tuesday, Day 36
Jesus weeps over his friend Lazarus before resurrecting him
Passage
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him[.]
John 11:17-45 (you can read the whole chapter here)
Perspective
For the next few days, we will be following Jesus through his last week on Earth. In this passage, we see a beautiful example of how Jesus, though divine and all-powerful, fully enters into the pain and suffering of his friends. Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He speaks with Mary and Martha in the midst of their pain. He weeps with them, experiencing in a very human way the grief associated with death. Then he displays his power by raising Lazarus from the dead. It’s a good reminder for us that God is with us in our pain. He suffers and grieves with us, even though he knows the suffering and grief are only temporary and one day he will redeem and resurrect all things.
Ponder
What do you find confusing about Jesus’ behavior in this passage? Can you relate to the feelings of Mary and Martha? Have you ever said something similar to God? How does it make you feel to see Jesus weeping and entering into the pain of his friends?
Pray
Sit in silence before the Lord. Think back to a painful circumstance in your life or, if you are currently experiencing suffering of any kind, present this to God. Ask him to show you where he was or is in the midst of your pain.
Practice
This week, as you go about your day, imagine that Jesus is in every room, vehicle, or place where you are. Spend time each day imagining/pondering how he would react to the various ups and downs of your daily life.
