I’m living in a world full of the unexpected. I live in a world of disappointments. I live in a world where mom’s of young children are diagnosed with stage four cancer. I hear of little babies not knowing if they will live one more day because the medical staff simply “didn’t have answers”. I live in a world where abuse is rampant. I live in a world where people can ruin other people. I live in a world where we are given a choice. And more often than not, the choice made was wrong. What then? Be happy? Slap a smile on my face? Think positive, and all the darkness, sadness, pain, and discouragement will fade away, and the sun will come out.
No, the sun doesn’t always shine. The result we expect won’t always be the one we receive. Yet, the Son is always near.
Life is full of the unexpected. It is full of disappointment. Disappointment in ourselves, our careers, our family, and our friends. So what then? What do we do then? When we feel unable to help ourselves – what then? When we are weak – what then? When our hearts feel like they’ve been thrown into a food processor, what then?
I’m reminded of two words: Jesus wept.
This is the shortest Bible verse and, quite possibly, the most powerful. I’ve skimmed over it too often without catching the significance of it. Jesus is the one who created the whole world. The one who created life, joy, and peace — wept!
He suffered! He lost friends, family, trust in people, and even his very life.
God sent Jesus, knowing he would suffer. He sent Jesus, knowing we would suffer.
In times of deep wounds, unanswered questions, and puddles of tears, know that the reason Jesus may be quiet is because He is weeping for you. He is weeping with you.
He never told Mary and Martha, don’t worry – you’ll get over it (although he knew they would). He didn’t say this will eventually be something that I want to use in your life (although I’m sure He did). Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life. He kindly reminded Martha that although she may not have understood things now, He was there! He then asked where they laid Lazarus. Then he wept.
Twice in this passage, it says Jesus was deeply moved.
There is another passage similar to this in John 20:11-16
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I DON’T KNOW where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
Imagine Jesus calling you by name. Imagine in the disappointments and the pain, he says, *your name* and says, I’m here. I made you. I knew this was going to happen. He’s not far off. Although Satan will try to convince us, he is. He’s not too busy fixing everything else. He’s standing beside me, waiting for me to cry out to him, and if I don’t, he gently says my name.
He is here
He stands in the pain
He is here
And evil will abstain
He is the Lord
Maker of heaven and earth
He’s guarding me with His sword
Causing in my life rebirth
He is here
Not weary from my tears
He is here
He’s the solution I can adhere
So in the midst of the unexpected
My Lord Jesus Christ is my expected
He calls my by name
He’s not ashamed of me, He created my frame
He counts the hairs on my head
He never lets my food run out
He knows when I lay my head on my bed
And His love for me can never be put out.
