JOHN 11:33-35

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.

TO PONDER 

A troubling verse for some. Possibly even the shortest verse in the bible in some translations. ‘Jesus wept’. And so far removed from the line in the popular Christmas carol, ‘Away in a Manager, when it says, ‘the little Lord Jesus no crying he makes’.  

One of the reasons that God sent Jesus to earth was to experience what we go through. To feel what it is to be human. To understand what emotions are. And we see in scripture (and if you’ve watched ‘The Chosen), that Jesus had a sense of humour, and he did get angry, and he did get frustrated, and he did get sad, and he did get tired.  

It’s an example we can follow. Jesus wasn’t afraid to show his emotions. And maybe this is a bigger message for the men out there. For those that think that crying is only for the weak, Jesus, a bloke, cried.   

Thank God for that. Thank God that a male was not afraid to show his emotions to those around him. That a man actually showed how strong he was, because he was not afraid of the kick-back. 

God knows how you feel at all times and shares any hurt you have.    

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us how to live, for showing us how to connect, for showing us that you know how we feel at all times. Amen  

Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping