Jesus wept...

“Where have you laid him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” ~ John 11:34 - 36

Probably one of the best known verses, and the shortest in scripture. "Jesus wept."

There are volumes of commentaries centered around this day in the life of Christ. The raising of Lazarus, a dear friend who had died, and was in the tomb long enough that the people around Jesus warn that he "would have begun to smell."

Let's face it, there are some things that happen in our lives where there are no words.

The reaction of Christ, for me, is a stark reminder that sometimes the only thing a person can do is to cry.

As a chaplain, I was often responding to trauma and tragedy in the hospital. The thought of calling a chaplain is surrounded by times when no words are available, and often, tears are the only interpretation.

I have laughed and cried with strangers as they stand at the door to the tomb of life situations. Calling forth Lazarus that day, Jesus raised his friend from the dead.

Each day we stand, calling forth for the answers to the questions in our lives, and somehow we wait, and watch for answers to come forth.

May we all, in the moments when tears are the only expression, know that we do not stand alone. That there is a God who stands with us, and cries as well.

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2017