Tears of a Savior

"Yeshua wept". John 11:35

Yesterday I reflected on this short verse. I realized how deeply loving our Savior's heart is. I can tell, from my own personal journey with Yeshua: I've wept many times in His arms. While He was holding me so tenderly, I could feel all His empathy. I could literally sense His own heart suffering with me.

Since He met me, Yeshua has allowed me some insights into the very center of His heart. I can tell that our Savior is never indifferent to human pains.

The precise cicrcumstances of Lazarus' death and resurrection (Eleazar in Hebrew) take us back to the 1st Century.

Yeshua happened to be closely befriended with Mary, her sister Martha and their brother Lazarus of Bethania.

When Yeshua arrives, everything seems to be lost. Death and desperation are present.

Mary had sent a prior message to Yeshua, at the time Lazarus was sick:"Lord, the one you love is sick."

Broken by her intense pain, Martha reproaches Yeshua:"Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

One is entitled to ask: Yeshua knew that He could bring his friend back to life, so why did He start weeping at the scene?

From a personal point of view, I think that our Lord perceived the pain of both sisters and of all the people present on the scene. His deep empathy caused Him to be emotionally submerged by an intense pain. By showing His tears, He also unveiled His human nature. Yeshua has been one of us, He has walked among us in humbleness and humility.

Why did Yeshua allow Lazarus to die if he happened to be such a dear friend to Him? Yeshua let this happen for God's glory:" This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory, so that God's Son may be glorified through it." 

Since the beginning, He knew that Lazarus was dead, when His disciples thought that He was speaking of natural sleep when He mentioned the death of His friend.

During this scene, as told in John 11, Yeshua is confronted with many doubtful statements. After showing His compassionate human nature, Yeshua will display the power of His divine nature.

Unlike His entourage, the words He speaks are words of faith addressed to our Father:

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

The Master speaks with authority, as He is the Resurrection and the Life: "Lazarus come out."

The text of John clearly opposes appearences with spiritual reality. God's timing is always perfect, even when we think that our situation is desperate.

Now let me bring you back to "Yeshua wept".

Let us get deeper into this powerful image.

Oh tears of our precious Savior, heart so close to the broken-hearted, your tears I'd like to collect into the crypt of my soul. They'll be my refreshing shower in times of spiritual drought.

"Yeshua wept", a verse of the Gospel of John, so short and so deep at the same time.

It is a constant reminder of our Lord's humility and modesty. Yeshua has become one of us. By enlightening His humanity, He is showing us that He is never indifferent to our pain.

I experienced our beautiful Savior's mercy. The continuous adventure I am living with Him, I shared in "An Encounter with Yeshua".

Come close to Him and He will grant you some insights about His loving heart too.