Today's Word · Grief & Loss

John 11:35

In the shortest verse of Scripture, we encounter Jesus weeping at the tomb of Lazarus. This profound moment reveals something stunning about our God: He does not stand aloof from our grief but enters fully into it. Even though Jesus knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, He still wept. His tears were not tears of hopelessness, but tears of compassion—a divine participation in human sorrow. This scene dismantles any notion that faith means suppressing our emotions or pretending loss doesn't hurt. Jesus, the Son of God, shows us that grief is a holy response to love interrupted by death. When we lose someone we cherish, or when dreams die and hopes crumble, we are not weak for weeping; we are human. The Lord who wept at Lazarus's tomb weeps with us still. He does not rush us through our mourning or demand we move on before we're ready. Instead, He draws near, sits with us in the darkness, and validates our pain. Yet His presence also carries a promise: just as He called Lazarus forth from death, He will one day wipe away every tear and restore all that has been lost. Until that day, we grieve—but not as those without hope. We grieve in the arms of a Savior who knows what it means to cry.