Why did Jesus weep?

(Written while mourning for my friend (and patient)  Duncan who passed away last week)

Jesus wept. John 11:35 

But why did Jesus weep? 

He stood there as the LORD of all creation, 

Both the visible and the invisible, the present and the ever-after, 

He knew that life on earth is just a small part of eternity. 

So why did Jesus weep? 

Death and Life are in His hands. 

He who had breathed life into Lazarus would cause him to live again. 

He declared to Martha that He is the resurrection and the life. 

So why did Jesus weep? 

He told His disciples that Lazarus lay asleep, 

And that He would awaken him. 

This fatal sickness was not to end in death, 

He set up this scenario by delaying for two more days. 

So why did Jesus weep? 

He hurt with the sorrow of the sisters and friends, 

As they mourned the loss of the one they loved. 

"See how He loved him", they observed in wonder, as 

In grief, Jesus wept. 

He could see that Lazarus had suffered while dying, 

The shadow in the valley, the dark night before the dawn, 

The Creator suffered together with His creation, 

The Suffering Servant felt the pain of His servant, as 

In empathy, Jesus wept. 

He wept with the knowledge of how things might have been, 

If humans, created in His image, had made the right choice. 

His original purposes, the glorious plan, 

Shalom. Wholeness. Life in abundance, 

In sorrow, Jesus wept. 

He wept at our miserable, pitiful existence, 

The ravages of sin, corruption and despair, 

The effects of the Fall seen in all of creation, 

Humans at war with God, and each other, 

In anger, Jesus wept. 

He wept at the price of the promised redemption, 

He would take on Himself the wrath and the curse, 

Walk to death on the cross, 

Separation from His Father, 

In anguish, Jesus wept. 

He wept with the assurance of the glorious renewal, 

The grave swallowed in victory, death without sting, 

The imminent unveiling of His new creation, 

His disciples who would follow Him through life, even unto death, 

His Kingdom come, both 'already' and 'not-yet', 

Shalom made possible, both in the now, and forever. 

In hope, Jesus wept. 

We do not grieve in the same way as those who have no hope: 1 Thes 4: 13 

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with us. Heb 4: 15

Dying in faith

 As Christians we often talk about: 

1. Being Justified by faith (Rom 5:1)

2. Walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7)

3. Living by faith (Gal 2:20, Rom 1:17)

There is another truth that perhaps we need to talk more about: 

4. Dying in faith (Heb 11:13)

John Wesley is said to have once remarked: "Our people die well". This was after a doctor told his brother, Charles, "Most people die for fear of dying, but I never met with such people as yours. None of them are afraid of death, but are calm, and patient, and resigned to the last". This led George MacDonald to write, "“If we knew as much about heaven as God does, we would clap our hands every time a Christian dies.”

The valley of the shadow of death is already a difficult valley to walk through. Often the shadow of death is a long shadow, because of a prolonged period of physical pain and suffering, while preparing and waiting for death. The family and community suffers too, with the grief of watching the loved one suffer, and the anticipation of impending separation. 

Christians have historically faced death with courage and hope. Paul wrote, "For me to live is Christ, to die is GAIN!" Looking forward to his impending death, he found hope by remembering that he had fought the good fight, completed his race, and was soon going to meet his Lord, from whom he would receive an eternal prize. The early Christians sang songs while waiting to be torn apart by lions. In John Wesley's time, they faced death with courage and acceptance. Like Paul, they knew that death is inevitable, but, for the Christian, death has lost its sting.

In the 21st century, however, the suffering of both the dying Christian and the suffering family and community is often compounded, because of the fear of death, and a faulty theology that teaches that it is always God's will to cure them. In this worldview, sickness and death must be resisted and never accepted. 

The prayers are continuous and fervent, but instead of focusing, like the early Christians, on prayers for strength and grace and courage, and for a sense of God's presence, comfort and enablement to walk through the dark valley, the prayers of the 21st century Christians are often focused on requesting that God will heal them miraculously and save them from death. They are unable to accept the possibility that God's will for them may, in fact, be for them to pass on their baton on earth and move residence to heaven. They are taught, instead, to view their approaching death as a failure and defeat, and the fact that they are not "cured of their disease" as a sign of their lack of faith. 

As I heard recently, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die to get there!"

Can God heal? Yes, of course! 

Does God heal in the 21st century? Absolutely. 

Does God ALWAYS heal? 

God does perform signs and wonders. One sign and wonder is miraculous healing. But another sign and wonder, which draws many non-Christians to the Lord, is the amazing miracle of a Christian finding the grace to "die in faith"..... full of hope and joy and faith in the middle of the suffering and pain in this valley. It is not an easy journey, and these dying Christians, and their suffering communities, need all the support and companionship of the church as they seek God's grace to "die well".

Related posts: 

1. Prosperity and Adversity, Health and wholeness: A response to the Prosperity Gospel

2. If I Have Enough Faith, Will God Heal Me?

Walking around Nagasaki, Part VII: Urakami Cathedral

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki, Part VI: A tribute to medical staff who died in the atom bomb 

And finally, I was at Urakami Cathedral. I had wanted to visit here since I read the story of Dr Takashi.

Urakami Cathedral

 

Urakami Cathedral

 

The original cathedral, which was Asia's largest church building at the time, was completely destroyed. This structure was rebuilt after a visit by Pope John Paul II

This saint's head was knocked out in the blast 

As were the eyes of this Mary 

The original church bell 

The original church bell at Urakami Cathedral

I collected a number of small pebbles and stones from different sites of this cathedral. Most of Nagasaki's Christian population lived in this area, and were wiped out in the blast 

This painting, by a Japanese Catholic...... 

Jesus at the time of the atom bomb

.......along with this haunting ruin.........

............reminded me of this painful question from this article: "On August 9, 1945 where do we find Jesus? In a B-29 flying over Nagasaki? Or with the worshipers, soon to be sufferers, praying in the Urakami Cathedral?"

Related posts: Pre-conference reading about Nagasaki and its Christian population 

Walking around Nagasaki, Part VI: A tribute to medical staff who died in the atom bomb

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki, Part V: The Camphor trees at the Shanno shrine

This sign reminded me of the many doctors, nurses and patients of Nagasaki medical college who died during the atom bomb.

Approximately 230 doctors and nurses and 200 patients....

I picked up a pebble from here too. 

Beauty close to the grim reminders of Ground Zero.....

Walking around Nagasaki, Part V: The Camphor trees at the Shanno shrine

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki, Part IV: The One-legged Torii Gate

My next stop was at the Shanno shrine with the two famous camphor trees. 

From Wikipedia, "Two large camphor trees were scorched, burned and stripped of all leaves by the bomb's shock wave; and yet, despite everything, the trees survived. One tree in Nagasaki was designated a natural monument on February 15, 1969. The dead parts of the living trees have been enveloped by new growth."

I picked up a pebble from here too, and a little of the bark of these remarkably resilient trees

Walking around Nagasaki, Part IV: The One-legged Torii Gate

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki, Part III: Small is beautiful

My first stop in the area of the atom bomb was at the one- legged Torii gate. 

The One-legged Torii Gate

From Wikipedia, "The well-known one-legged torii or one-legged arch (一本柱鳥居) was a result of the atomic bomb blast on August 9, 1945. The epicenter of the bomb's destructive force was located approximately 800 meters from the shrine. One support column was knocked down; but the other somehow remained standing, keeping the gate upright but effectively breaking it in half. The force of the shockwave rotated the torii about 30 degrees on its pedestal base." 

The One-legged Torii Gate

Some of the ruins of the rest of the pillar are lying close-by, and I was able to pick up a small pebble for Dheeraj.

Walking around Nagasaki, Part III: Small is beautiful

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki (Part II): Nagasaki Baptist Church

By now, it was around 12.30, and I decided to walk to the site of the atom bomb. This was a long walk, but I got to see a lot of Nagasaki!

Since I was walking, Google took me along a walking path. It was a steep, but beautiful, climb, through a residential area filled with cute houses, and lovely gardens.

There were lots of great views.

This was a shrine to the dead

I tried to get Google lens to help me identify flowers and plants and buildings, with mixed results. For example, Google assured me that this building was the famous stupa in Nalanda, Bihar.

I love the bikes and cars of Japan, and often miss Dheeraj, our resident automobile expert, when I see them.

This was a cute little bus stand

A cute, little bus stand

As Indians, we often tend to value what is BIG. We love the big houses, with big gardens and big cars. Japan is the opposite. From my small, but adequate, hotel room, to the small and compact, yet powerful and efficient, cars and bikes all around, Japan teaches us that small is beautiful!

Related post: 1. My teeny-tiny Japanese hotel room

Walking around Nagasaki, Part II: Nagasaki Baptist Church

Prev: Walking around Nagasaki, Part 1 

After getting ready, I decided to try and make it to church. I had found a church online called Nagasaki Baptist church, and it looked like they had an English service at 11am. 

Nagasaki Baptist Church. 

They were very warm and welcoming. The service was in Japanese, but they gave me this cute device so that I could listen to an English translation. 

Lovely singing, accompanied by a talented organist. 

The Bible reading was my favorite Messianic passage, describing God's new creation (Isaiah 65). 

There was a special number by the choir. 

And then the message. I was surprised and delighted to see a woman preacher. Obviously the Nagasaki Baptist church is not a member of the Southern Baptist convention! She spoke on how we can experience true joy and fulfillment when we follow Christ who makes all things good. 

The 3 hymns were Japanese translations of English hymns. I was so happy that, thanks to my Clarence school training, I knew the words of all three verses of 'Great is Thy faithfulness' and 'Count your many blessings' by heart, as well as the third song, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul' and was able to join in the singing in English. 

After the service, the English translator came up to me and we chatted a little. On the whole, a very good experience 

More posts and pictures coming in a bit.......

Next:Walking around Nagasaki, Part III: Small is beautiful 

Walking around Nagasaki, Part I

It's been a long, eventful but lovely day. I am tired (in a good sort of way) and happy.

My day started late. I slept soundly, and woke up only after 8am Japanese time. I was surprised, but then realised that my body is probably still running on Indian time. (It was 4.30am Indian time)

This hotel serves breakfast, and so I went down to their restaurant. It was a buffet with a wide and interesting spread. This is what my plate looked like.

After getting ready, I decided to try and make it to church. I had found a church online called Nagasaki Baptist church, and it looked like they had an English service at 11am.

I also decided that since I had plenty of free time today, I would try and walk around as much as possible. (It's not like I had much choice anyway. I have been using my credit card but have not had the chance to pick up any paper money so far. However the taxis, buses and trams only accept physical money, not cards. So, I walk!)

The walk to church took around 25 minutes. On the way, I passed the Nagasaki public library, with this sculpture of a child reading. 

I loved the changing colors in the leaves.

I used this cool AI feature on my phone to translate the Japanese inscription on the statue. I used this feature quite a bit today.

Next:Walking around Nagasaki (Part II): Nagasaki Baptist Church