Martha looked Jesus in the eye. Her conversation with Jesus was face to face. She was expectant and direct in her conversation. If Jesus had been there in time, he could have healed Lazarus (verse 21). “Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Four days too late, she still had hope.

Mary arrived and “fell at his feet,” (verse 32). She was always at Jesus’ feet. We see this in Luke 10:39, here, and again in John 12:1-7. Ponder this.

Jesus loved Martha. Jesus loved Mary. Jesus loved Lazarus.

Jesus hates death.

“Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see,” (verse 34).

Jesus wept.

Jesus was deeply moved when he saw Mary crying (verse 33). Jesus was deeply moved again when he came to the tomb (verse 38). 

In Romans 12:15, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” If you have read or heard this chapter of John’s Gospel all the way through, you know Jesus wept with those who wept. Verse 44 sounds like Jesus rejoiced with those who rejoiced.

Sometimes we are bold enough to speak to Jesus face to face. 

Sometimes we cannot raise our eyes to meet his and can only bow at his feet.

Sometimes our hopes and fears are so entangled we do not know what to say or think or feel. 

Jesus always knows the right thing to do in the right timing for the right reason. This always leads to the right results. 

Jesus is with us in our deepest grief. Jesus is who he is at all times and all places. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (verse 25). “The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (verse 26).

There is no sadness, there is no sorrow, there is no grief Jesus cannot unroll, unwrite, undo.

Remember this: Jesus wept. Jesus also shouted (verse 43). When Jesus enters the situation, tears are temporal. Life is eternal. Dead men are unwrapped (verse 44).

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I will weep with those who weep, I will rejoice with those who rejoice, and I will laugh forever when Jesus unwraps me.

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