John 11:33-37: a reflection

33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, 34and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus wept. 36The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!” 37Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”

At the tomb of his friend Lazarus, surrounded by weeping mourners, Jesus does something that reveals the tenderness of God toward our grief: he weeps. When Jesus saw her weeping, the account says, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled; and then, simply, Jesus wept. He knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead; the grief would soon turn to joy. And yet, in the moment, seeing the sorrow of those he loved, he was moved, troubled, and wept with them. Jesus did not stand above the grief, unmoved because he knew the outcome; he entered into it, was troubled by it, wept at it. This shows us the tenderness of God: he enters into our grief, is moved by our sorrow, weeps with those who weep. God does not regard our grief from a cold distance; in Jesus, he enters into it and weeps with us. Jesus wept; God enters into our sorrow. The tears of Jesus show that God weeps with us in our grief.

Notice what Jesus did at the tomb: he wept, moved and troubled by the grief of those he loved. He knew Lazarus would rise; the sorrow would soon be turned to joy. And yet he did not stand aloof from the present grief, unmoved because of what he knew; he entered into it, was troubled, and wept. This is deeply revealing of God's heart: he does not regard our grief from a cold distance, or dismiss it because he knows the end; he enters into our sorrow, is moved by it, weeps with those who weep. In Jesus, God comes near to our grief and shares it. Even knowing the good he would bring, Jesus wept with the grieving; and so God, even when he is working toward our good, enters into our present sorrow and weeps with us. Jesus' tears are the tears of God, moved by our grief. God is not distant from our sorrow but near, weeping with us. The shortest verse, Jesus wept, holds a deep comfort: God weeps with us in our grief.

That is worth resting in, for God enters into our grief and weeps with us, as Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. We can imagine God distant from our sorrow, unmoved by it, or dismissing it because he knows the end; but Jesus, even knowing he would raise Lazarus, wept with the grieving, moved and troubled by their sorrow. In Jesus, God enters into our grief and weeps with us. God does not regard our sorrow from a cold distance but comes near and shares it. When you grieve, remember that God is not distant but near, weeping with you, as Jesus wept. Rest in the truth that God enters into our grief and weeps with us, as Jesus, moved and troubled by the sorrow of those he loved, wept at the tomb of Lazarus even knowing he would raise him; for God does not regard our grief from a cold distance or dismiss it because he knows the end, but in Jesus comes near to our sorrow, is moved by it, and weeps with those who weep, so that when we grieve, God is not far off but near, entering into our sorrow and weeping with us, and the tears of Jesus are the tears of a God who shares our grief.

Lord Jesus, at the tomb of your friend Lazarus, surrounded by weeping mourners, you do something that reveals the tenderness of God toward our grief: you weep. When Jesus saw her weeping, the account says, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled; and then, simply, Jesus wept. You knew you were about to raise Lazarus from the dead; the grief would soon turn to joy. And yet, in the moment, seeing the sorrow of those you loved, you were moved, troubled, and wept with them. You did not stand above the grief, unmoved because you knew the outcome; you entered into it and wept. Show me what you did at the tomb: you wept, moved and troubled by the grief of those you loved. You knew Lazarus would rise; the sorrow would soon be turned to joy. And yet you did not stand aloof from the present grief; you entered into it, were troubled, and wept. This is deeply revealing of God's heart: he does not regard our grief from a cold distance, or dismiss it because he knows the end; he enters into our sorrow, is moved by it, weeps with those who weep. In you, God comes near to our grief and shares it. Your tears are the tears of God, moved by our grief. Let me rest in that, for you enter into my grief and weep with me, as you wept at the tomb of Lazarus. I can imagine you distant from my sorrow, unmoved by it, or dismissing it because you know the end; but you, even knowing you would raise Lazarus, wept with the grieving. In you, God enters into my grief and weeps with me. When I grieve, help me remember that you are not distant but near, Lord, weeping with me, as you wept at the tomb of Lazarus, so that I know God does not regard my grief from a cold distance but comes near and shares it.