The story of Lazarus is arguably one of my favorites in all the Bible, but probably not for the reasons you think. Most people identify with the triumph of Lazarus being raised from the dead and Jesus showing His power even over death. While that is truly awesome, the thing that speaks to me most is how human Jesus is before the raising.

This week we've traced the ache and pain of brokenness in a broken world. Creation is groaning, we are lamenting, and the eternity He placed in our hearts cries out for more. Today, Jesus stands at the tomb of a dear friend, Lazarus, sees the sorrow around Him and weeps right along with them.

Even though He knew what He was about to do, He wept anyway. He knew death wasn't final and victory was moments away. He wept anyway. Tears aren't proof our hope has faded. Grief and faithfulness aren't mutually exclusive enemies. Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, fully entered into the sorrow and hurt of this very human moment.

Jesus was, as John tells us, "deeply moved and troubled". He refused to stand apart extoling the benefits and nuances of sound theology. He flung Himself headlong into the center of their pain. In that moment, He felt the weight of what sin and its resulting death had done to the world He created; to the world He loved and intended to redeem. His weeping isn't a sign of weakness, but of compassion. The flesh-wrapped heart of God was on full display.

It's easy for people to think God doesn't understand grief like we do, but John 11 says He does. He doesn't merely observe human sorry, He joins us in it. He feels every act of injustice, every jolt of pain, and every trauma we face. It's not an inconvenience for Him, it's an opportunity for Him to meet us with us His presence, tenderness, and yes, even His tears.

This doesn't mean our burdens are removed, but it does change how we bear up under them. It means we have no need to suffer alone. He hasn't issued the command to endure the longing for restoration from a distance, He gives it from a place of experience. Jesus takes His groaning world seriously as He's come to redeem it. He takes our sorrow seriously, too, because He is drawing us near to Himself in the midst of it.

Each day this week we've moved the story a little further inward; from groaning creation to the eternality of the human heart. From emotional lament to active tears. Today, however, we come face to face with the deepest of all comfort; the realization our ache for restoration is shared by Jesus Himself.

When we stop and think about Jesus weeping even though He knew the resurrection was soon to come, it can elicit strong emotions in our own heart and soul. What does this understanding mean to you as you wrestle with your own hurt and pain? How does this compassion of Jesus reshape how you carry your own grief, loss, and disappointment?

Father, thank you we serve a God who understands. I'm grateful today for your compassion in my sorrow, your presence in my loneliness, and your strength in my weakness. Teach my heart to trust in you, especially when I can't yet see the full restoration you have promised. Amen.