Our Loving Savior Sits With Us In Our Sorrows

As I bawled and ugly cried last week over a situation that had me feeling overwhelmed and helpless, I remembered that the Bible mentions that Jesus wept as well. It dawned on me that Jesus weeps with us. He literally sits down with us in our sadness and feels our pain, then weeps with us. He does not dismiss any of our feelings. Even though Jesus is going to carry us out of the pit of desperation, before He does that, Jesus validates our feelings and shares our sorrows by carrying upon them Himself and feeling them, then He triumphantly lifts us out and saves us! Wow! There is indeed no God like our God.

Jesus wept. John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible (now you know for the next Bible trivia night you attend!).

I always wondered why Jesus wept at the tomb. He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, I mean He had just told His disciples that He would. So why did He weep? Why did Jesus not just go straight to the miracle? Why the pause to do something like this? Well, first of all because just as Jesus was fully God, he was also fully man. And the man Jesus had just lost one of His closest friends. It hurst when you lose someone, when a loved one passes away. This teaches me not to ignore grief. It is not a sign of weakness to be sad, to cry and grieve over loss. It is a sign of being a human being and very necessary because when we ignore feelings like this, they do not go away. Shoving them down only serves to compress them till one day they explode when we least expect it. This is an encouragement to feel your feelings. The only caveat is that we do not mourn like those who have no hope. Yes, we grieve and feel the emotions of sadness and sorrow, but we do it as those who have hope that one day, not too far away, all our tears will be wiped away!

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:4-5

Another reason Jesus wept at the tomb is because He was validating Mary and Martha’s feelings. They felt sad, dejected and broken. Jesus felt that with them. He did not tell them to hush and be quiet or stop crying. Even as He told Mary and Martha that Lazarus would rise again, Jesus still wept. The Bible tells us that we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. If ever there was a Bible story that shows that, this is top of the list.

For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Hebrews 4:15

A close second is when a funeral procession walked by Jesus and He saw the woman who has just lost her son. The sorrow and brokenness she felt is hard to put to words. I believe Jesus felt the full weight of her pain. So much so that He stopped the funeral procession, raised the young man back to life and gave him back to his mother. I love that the Bible was careful to mention that: Jesus gave the son back to his mother. How compassionate.

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. Luke 7: 11-17

Our Savior, Jesus, is moved with compassion over us. Whenever you cry, know that Jesus is right there with you, crying with you. He is not just an unbothered spectator but a compassionate, empathetic friend.

Though it is great having a compassionate and empathetic friend by your side, what is even greater is having the All-powerful Lord of lords, Creator of the universe and Mighty Savior by your side. After Jesus wept, He went ahead to do only what Jesus can do. “Lazarus! Come out!” Glory to God! Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead! (John 11:17-44)

And in the same way, Jesus will do whatever is needed to be done in your situation. After weeping with you, letting you know that your feelings are valid and that you are not alone, Jesus will fix it! He is more than able to do so and not just that, but He is willing.

Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Him and knelt before Him. “Lord,” the man said, “if You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Matthew 8:2-3

Jesus answered the man with a resounding I am willing! Receive your healing! I’m here to let you know that Jeus is willing to heal you, to restore that relationship, to open that door of financial provision, to bring that prodigal child back home to you, to take away depression and replace it with His joy that the world can not give, and the world can not take away. Cry to Jesus in faith and receive His divine help and intervention. All that call on Jesus will never be put to shame.

“No one who puts his trust in Christ will ever be put to shame.” Romans 10:11