5. Weep

Jesus wept.

John 11:35

I’m a cryer. I can’t help it. I try not to be. I will cry at how cute my kids are, or at dog food commercials. But I’ll also have a heart cry that I can’t control. When something moves in my spirit, I can’t keep it in. I like to think of this as more than just a cry. This is weeping.

Jesus wept. He wept when his friend Lazarus died. Even though he already knew the end of the story. He knew he would raise Lazarus from the dead. And even though we know the end of this story – that God is victorious over all the pain of this world – it’s ok to weep and to mourn. It’s ok to look around you and be sad for what creation has become – vulnerable, weak, fragile, a vapour.

But after he wept, Jesus performed an incredible miracle. He looked up to his father and said

“Father, I thank you that you heard me. I know you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.” After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

John 11: 41-43

And then he did! That dead man GOT UP and came out, foreshadowing exactly what Christ himself was preparing to do. But what he did before the miracle was what is the big key here, he pointed to God. He made it so clear to everyone around him that God is the source of all power and glory.

And sisters, brothers, we can do the same. Sure, we likely are not going to raise anyone from the dead physically, but we can point a dying world to God. We can show them His glory. We have an incredible opportunity to come out from our weeping and use that pain to glorify God.

How we as Christians respond to this pandemic is being watched. Not just by God, but by the enemy of our souls. And our responses can be used to bring people to God or to push them away. So let’s make sure we move according to His spirit – by loving one another the way that God has loved us. This is how they will know we are Christians (John 13:35), that we are not a part of the fear of the world, that we belong to the living God who is our hope and light. The one who is not afraid to weep with and for His creation.

From here on out I’m going to be giving you praise song suggestions. I listen to A LOT of praise music, and I find it gives me a lot of strength and comfort and I hope it will do the same for you!

Today, look up the song Weep With Me by Rend Collective which is beautiful and has such an awesome chorus: Yet I will praise you, yet I will sing of Your Name. Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise.