By Stephen Leonard

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35

The monk who organized all the Scripture into specific verses kept this one to just two powerful words, “Jesus wept.” This verse needed nothing else. It says it all. The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God…wept. Tears rolled from His eyes, down His face, and dropped into the dust at His feet. His heart was broken because of love and sorrow.

This verse specifically spoke of Jesus’ tears at Lazarus’ grave when confronted with the sting of death, a painful sting especially to loved ones and dear friends, more so to the Lord. Death still brings tears to your eyes, but it is now death with finality. The day is certain when death will cease to reign.

Jesus’ tears are recorded elsewhere, as in Luke 19:41, when as He approached Jerusalem, there was a turn in the road where the whole city suddenly appeared into view. This sight at once caught in Jesus’ throat and started his tears flowing.

As is so often the case, His weeping came from what He saw spread out before Him. The sight of all Jerusalem before His eyes represents a population of the City of Cities and the people of a nation, God’s chosen folk. He could not visually see every person, but He envisioned them walking the streets, buying and selling, nursing a baby, in the marketplace, in the temple, tilling the fields, picking olives, plucking a lamb out of the bush.

He saw people who were not cognizant their Savior was entering the city and would die there on a Roman cross outside the gates at the end of the week. He wept because of their ignorance, hard hearts, avoiding Him, ignoring Him, little interest to love their neighbor, a lack of soul searching to see their own sin. Without clear sight of culpable sin and their burden of guilt, one would never look or yearn for the Savior.

Soon, as He passed through the actual gates of the city, the crowd of onlookers shouted “Hosanna” as they laid down palm branches and robes, but within less than a week, the crowd shouted “Crucify.”

Are there reasons for tears? Absolutely! Those tears later turned to blood from an overwhelming sorrow in the Garden.

Can we learn from our Savior’s example what should also encourage tears from our eyes? Do the lost in this world cause your eyes to water? Do the hearts of unbelievers remaining cold to the Living Savior tear at your hearts? Does it keep you on your knees, open your lips to recount a testimony to others, strengthen your boldness, and turn your eyes more to the throne of God moment by moment?

You see, the time of tears is not interminable. For Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly!” He does because, in our perspective of waiting, suffering, praying, the time is not that long. As He has promised, it comes to an end; the trumpet will soon sound. Keep this perspective in your thoughts. Face each day with the last words of Scripture from Jesus firmly on your mind, “Surely, I am coming soon!”

Encouragement

“Soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We are going to see the King!”

(1st verse of Andrae Crouch’s song, “Soon and Very Soon,” 1978)

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