https://odb.org/2023/08/25/what-a-friend
The shortest verse in the Bible is found in John 11:35, “He wept.”. Just two words and yet so powerful. It is evidence that Jesus is truly human, although He is God. In the story of Cain and Abel, God was so upset with Cain for killing Abel that He cursed the ground vis-a-vis Cain that Cain the farmer became a wanderer for the rest of his life, not able to toil the soil anymore. But here, in the case of Lazarus (Mary and Martha’s brother), Jesus wept after Lazarus died. By the time Jesus reached their home, Lazarus had passed away for 4 days already, meaning to say, the decaying process of the human body had long started. Yet, Jesus could turn back the clock by reversing the process when He resurrected Lazarus from the dead.
Imagine you have a close friend, and he is so full of potential. Then you see him wasting away his future by indulging in the vices. You counsel and warn him, but your words fall on deaf ears. You will be really sad and disappointed. Maybe you’ll weep too. For me, the fact that Jesus was overcome by emotion and wept means that He has feelings like any other human. That also means that if we are failing in our walk with Him, He will be saddened too. He, like the angels, will cheer for us to do our best so we may continue in the race and finish it.
Jesus is emotionally in touch with us, He is invested in our walk of faith, in our fulfilment of the Father’s plans and purposes for our lives. After all, He died on the cross for our sins as the Lamb of God. We must always do our best so as to not disappoint or make Jesus sad, the same way we want our parents or spouse to be proud of us in the things we do in the natural. Discard those bad habits. Get rid of those destructive behaviours. Carry on with life but walk in the path of righteousness towards life eternal.
Know that as He wept on Lazarus’s death, Jesus will weep if we stray away from God. Jesus is emotionally invested in our lives. He is our friend as much as He is our Lord and Saviour. In our distress, go to Him in prayer and worship. Let Him calm our souls and bring us back to Him. He is indeed our peace and the river of living waters that whoever drinks of Him will never thrist again!
Ronnie's Thoughts 