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?