Jesus wept.

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On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ... When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ... Jesus wept. -John 11:17,32-33,35 NRSV

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Jesus delayed coming when Lazarus was sick. The man's sisters did not understand why. He previously had a somewhat theological discussion with sister Martha but dogma was set aside when he saw Mary and her friends grieving. Jesus was moved deeply at their suffering and wept with them. There is such vulnerability in this passage.

Reminds me of a scene in the movie Selma where Dr King is comforting a man who had just lost his son to police violence. Martin tells the man that "God was the first to cry". Sometimes we forget how God is "deeply moved" by our grief, our tears and our heartaches. The image of Jesus weeping reminds me of my need to pray.

You Lord are touched when I pray. Like Mary, I weep for my losses knowing that you understand and are deeply moved.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.