Was there ever a passage with so much emotion?
Jesus’ death was no accident. Not even a simple miscarriage of justice, though it was that. He knew what he had come to do, and ironically not even the Pharisees’ warning that Herod was out for his life could deter him from giving his life. He knew what awaited him in Jerusalem. He gave his life for us. It was not taken from him.
Read More judgment, love, willful blindness, tearsAs any child who has participated in a Bible memorization competition in Sunday School knows, John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible. I’ve often wondered why. What is it about the two simple words, “Jesus wept” that made scholars believe they needed to stand alone?
In this story, we get the impression that Mary is so overcome by grief that she can’t even muster the strength to run out to greet Jesus as her sister has.
Read More pain, compassion, tearsWeeping is part of life, common to all of us. We shed tears when a loved one or friend passes away. We may cry when we take our youngest child to kindergarten on the first day of school. We feel sad when we say farewell to a close friend that we will not see again for some time. Weeping is often an appropriate response to the difficulties and separations we experience in life.
Read More tears, joy, understanding
