“There’s a God who weeps
There’s a God who bleeds
Oh, praise the One
Who would reach for me
Hallelujah to the Son of suffering”
Son of Suffering, Travis Cottrell
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV
In the story of Lazarus we see that Jesus arrived at the tomb of His friend and He wept. This the shortest, but perhaps one of the most powerful verses in the Bible.
Jesus wept. (John 11:35).
There are loads of theological considerations we can get into, and we can get really deep in explaining why Jesus wept – looking at the Greek and the context of the passage – but even a simple reading is enough for us to get a glimpse of the heart of God.
He is the God who weeps with us.
Not only did He suffer upon the cross with us, but He also suffers with us. His heart breaks for the broken hearted.
He is the God who says to the weary, the burdened and the broken: “Come to Me! I will give you rest!”
Jesus lifts our burden. Makes it lighter.
He is a Husband to the widow, a Father to the orphan, and Friend of the friendless. He is Home to those who wander. He sits with the prisoner, the drug addict, the homeless. He is Bread to the hungry and Living Water to those going through desert places.
Jesus carries our burdens with us.
No wonder Peter writes: “Cast your burdens unto Jesus, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7).
Are there broader shoulders to cry on than the Shoulder of God?
It is true that believers share in the suffering of Christ (Romans 8) – but Jesus also shares ours.
What is my burden today? Is it depression? Is it infirmity? Is it poverty? Temptation?
Cast your burden upon Jesus.
Just as the author of Hebrews says, in Christ we have a High Priest who is not unfamiliar with our trials and our temptations – but One who is willing to get His hands dirty, stepping down into the muck of this world, the filth of our sin and wickedness, to pull us out of the miry clay.
We have a High Priest who is willing to step down from His Majesty into the swamp of our grief and the slow of our despondency to help us out – pulling us out of the sinking sand of our situations and placing us firmly upon the Solid Ground of His Salvation.
The Psalmist writes: “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. (Psalm 55:22, NIV)
He is the God who weeps, the God who bleeds – the God who reaches out to us!
All we have to do is be willing to surrender to Him – to give over to His love, cast our burdens upon Him. All we have to do is throw ourselves on His mercy and grace – fall into His heart.
Prayer: Lord, things might seem dark – but You are the light in the darkness. When all around me is sinking sand, I can stand firm upon Your love and grace. When it feels like my situations are raging like a flood – I will not be overwhelmed. I will not be shaken – because my trust is in You. I am not alone. I don’t have to do this on my own. You are with me. Help me today to see You working in my life. Overwhelm me with Your presence. Flood my life with who You are. Give me strength to face this day. In Jesus Name. Amen.