Prayer - "Jesus Wept."

 

“Jesus wept”![1] I don’t think we grasp the deep significance of these words and your weeping. You truly are humbled, your “low condition,” your “undergoing the miseries of this life.”[2] You grieved your friend’s death, the black sorrow it poured into Mary and Martha, and the awfulness of the situation! And then you were accused three times that it was all your fault: Martha and Mary[3] who believed in you, who trusted you – accused you! And then the crowds[4] faulted you as well. O Lord, how meaningful this all is – God in the flesh wept, undergoing the miseries of this life! You know! You weep!

Lord, some who I know need your tears to mingle with theirs. Chronic pain that will not end; dark moods that suffocate; fracturing marriage that refuses to be resolved; broken relationship that shoves its sharp shards deep into their hearts. Oh, weeping Lord! Weep with them, be deeply moved in your spirit and troubled for them.[5] And as you absorbed Mary’s and Martha’s accusations and spoke gospel-hope into their agony[6] - please hear your people’s accusations, absorb their allegations, and speak gospel-hope down into their despair. And then raise to life!

“Jesus wept”! Thank you, Lord.


[1] John 11:35

[2] Westminster Shorter Catechism 27

[3] John 11:21, 32

[4] John 11:37

[5] John 11:33, 38

[6] John 11:25-26


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