Jesus wept.
Two small words, most amazing, and powerful verse I've read.
Everyone just talks about this being the shortest verse in the Bible, but it has so much more in it than that.
It tells us that Jesus loves us even through pain and death.
When things happen to us, things that hurt, things that bring emotional pain, you may think that God is far away from you. That He doesn't care. This verse shows that this is most definitely not true.
You may have heard about the story of Lazarus, but in case you haven't, I'll tell you.
There were these two women and their brother, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. They were really good friends of Jesus. Well, one day, Lazarus became sick. Really sick. So his sisters sent for Jesus saying "Lord, he whom you love is ill" (John 11:3) Instead of going right then and there, Jesus waited a few days before He headed for the town of Bethany. The disciples were confused, so Jesus told them that He hoped for their sake, what was about to happen would help them believe, and He said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
When they got there, Lazarus had died and been in the tomb for four days already. The two sisters cried out to Jesus, asking Him why hadn't He come? He could have saved Lazarus!
When Mary came to Him weeping, Jesus wept also, and asked to be taken to the tomb. Martha told Him that Lazarus had been in there four days...he probably stinks... Jesus told her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"
As they rolled the stone away, Jesus prayed this prayer, notice that it was probably awkward for the people standing around Him... "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." And then Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave. And out walked Lazarus.
So that's the story. Now, back to what I was talking about.
Look at verse 4, this was before Jesus and the disciples headed to Bethany. The one where He says that the illness is to show the glory of God. Illness, for the glory of God? And then Lazarus died. Mary and Martha were hurt. They didn't understand. They thought that Jesus loved them and that He would come and save their brother. He had the power to save Lazarus, but He didn't.
Sometimes, God allows things to happen in our life that we won't understand. Things we know He could have fixed or prevented. But here, see? Jesus had a plan. He wanted in this story to show Mary, Martha, the people around Him, and us to see His glory.
God always has a plan. Always.
Now you say, but how was Jesus showing His love in this story?? You said alot about it being for His glory, but what about His love?? How do we know that God is showing us His glory and His love, and not just punishing us for something that we have done?
First off, God isn't punishing you. That would be unjust. He already punished Someone for the things you have done. Jesus was already punished for your sins. So He is not punishing you.
Secondly, in the text, after Mary comes up to Him weeping, verse 35 'Jesus wept.' Remember? Shortest verse but very powerful? Jesus wept. What can that mean?
Why was Jesus weeping? Because He felt Mary's pain.
Just like He felt her pain, He feels ours. He knows when we are hurting. That is what this verse is showing us. Jesus knows and feels the pain with us. He cries with us. Why? Because He loves us. That is how Jesus' love is also shown in this story.
Even if we feel like He has gone away from us, He hasn't. God is by our side loving us. He has a plan, even if we can't see why or what is going on, He has a plan.
So...I don't know if this post actually has a set idea in it, more like several thrown in one...but hey, this is Random Thoughts of a Teen Follower of Jesus. So...its just kinda random!
~tJf~
