Why Do I Have to Go Through This? A 5-Day Plan to Commit Our Lowest to His HighestSample

DAY TWO:

A while back I was speaking at a small women’s event on the story of Lazarus in the Bible. I encouraged the women listening to see Jesus’ empathy for Lazarus as an example of how He cares for us in the pain we face in life. I remember being so powerfully moved by these four verses:

"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” (John 11:32–35).

Now, in the verses before these, John talks about when Jesus first got the news that Lazarus was sick. John states that Jesus was very good friends with Lazarus and his sisters, Mary, and Martha. But John also tells us that Jesus waited two days before going to Judea to see Lazarus. I think the most significant verse in this story is verse 35—the shortest verse in the Bible—“Jesus wept.”

The beautiful part of Jesus being “deeply moved” by Mary and Martha’s tears, as it says (John 11:28), is that Jesus knew He was about to go raise Lazarus from the dead. Even though Lazarus had been dead four days, Jesus had told His disciples verses before, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him” (John 11:11). Jesus knew what He came to Judea to do. But before celebrating the Glorious Good He knows is coming, Jesus hurt with them. Then He said, “Show me the tomb” (John 11:34). After Lazarus was raised, much Glory was brought to God, and many believed.

Jesus hates to see us hurt, but He loves us so much that when we feel pain, He feels it with and for us. How significant a Love our God has that He does not simply show up celebrating because He knows the end of the story. He knows the outcome is good, but He still holds us and allows us to lean back against His Chest and feel His Heartbeat. He knows how to love us better than anyone.