Jesus wept
Bible Reading: John 11:32–35
Author: Jean Bonin (Alberta, Canada)
Author: Jean Bonin (Alberta, Canada)
Friday 29 March 2024 © The Upper Room.
The phone call came in the middle of an ordinary morning. The caller was almost incoherent, overcome with grief. ‘Ricky is dead.’
Ricky was my nephew. It was a freak accident, and now a man who was loved and who loved so freely was gone. He left behind a wife, step- sons, grandchildren, a mother, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and friends. I struggled to make sense of it; I wanted to find a word of comfort for his mother. I wanted words of consolation for myself and for others who were hurting.
I found the words I needed in the passage about Lazarus in John 11: ‘Jesus wept’ – just two words but they were enough to remind me that God grieves with us. I didn’t need the why of Ricky’s death; I didn’t need answers. What I needed was to weep with those who were weeping. The minister’s words during the service celebrating Ricky’s life were powerful. He reminded us that, as in the story of Lazarus, Christ brings us hope when we see no hope. Even in a time of grief, the promise of eternal life gives us strength to rejoice.
Prayer: O God, help us to comfort those who hurt, to weep with those who weep and to rejoice with those who rejoice. In Jesus’ name. Amen