When you have grown up going to church from a very young age, you come to make a most important discovery.
Every once in a while, whether in Sunday School or in church, it would be a time of sharing a memorized Scripture. One would stand and quote the verse, from memory, and then call on the next person.
The entire time could be well spent in prayer for one of two things: one, that you would never get called or two, that the verse you had in mind would not be shared before you were called on.
And that is where the important discovery comes in. If you didn’t have a verse in mind, one could always share, the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35, NASB).
The one verse which didn’t require much memorization at all. Everyone knew it. One could only hope and pray to be called on before the verse was already shared.
As short as it is, those two words convey much about the heart of Jesus.
Jesus was called to come to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus for Lazarus was sick. Jesus delayed going for several days and upon arriving is told Lazarus was placed in a tomb for he had been dead for four days.
Seeing the grief of the sisters, Jesus was troubled and asked to go to the tomb.
Jesus is troubled because He sees the pain death causes to those who are yet living. He knows this is the result of sin.
Jesus’ weeping confirms for us how Jesus experienced every emotion humanity would ever experience. Jesus knows what loss and grief feels like because He felt it firsthand while here on earth.
Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead yet it did not remove the recognition of the pain Mary and Martha were feeling.
Jesus recognized the doubt, the fear, the loss, the pain, the tears, and the loneliness. He also knew He was their hope:
“I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:25-26,NASB)
So what does the shortest verse, “Jesus wept”, tell us today?
Jesus is with us in the middle of every situation.
We can come to Him with confidence
for He is our hope and help in our time of need.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16, NASB)
“Nothing God is working in our souls is instant.” Those words have been poking me since I read them. In her post, In a While, Paris Renae brings beautiful encouragement and the reminder that we can wait and trust God.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Image by hartono subagio from Pixabay
