Jesus, Why Were You Crying?

 This morning, I sit with Jesus in the silence of my home. And in the silence of my spirit I ask, "Jesus, why were You crying?"

Jesus wept. John's Gospel account, chapter eleven, verse 35.
The shortest and one of the most intriguing verses in Scripture.
But, why did He weep? I ask the question, but I really don't want your answer. I don't want the answers of theologians or the answer in the side-notes of my Bible, or even Wikipedia. While I'm not certain I will ever hear His answer, still...I will ask the question.

We like to think, and maybe we were taught to think that Jesus cried out of His great compassion for Mary and Martha's suffering. Their beloved brother was dead, Lazerus was also Jesus' friend, and everyone was grieving. Was He struck with grief too? But wait, why would He be? Jesus knew He was about to raise Laz from the dead! He also understood that eternal life, the kind of Life He came to give us, wasn't about some "future resurrection" as Martha believed. Eternal Life was right there in that moment...Eternal Life was and is Jesus. So, was this it Lord? Were they simply tears of human compassion? Did you cry because Lazerus died?

Mary's words must have really stung..."Lord, if you had been here, by brother wouldn't have died." Wow. Really, Mary? Are you saying that I blew it? Are you so discouraged, so blinded by your grief that you would accuse me of being too late? Don't you trust Me? Aren't we friends?

How often do we wallow in our own "if only's"? "If only You had answered my prayers my way, none of this would have happened." Do we believe He is good?
Was it Martha and Mary's attack on Your character, Lord? Is that why You cried?
 
I may never get an answer to my question. Jesus may not choose to speak to my heart or to clarify His tears to me. But because I love Him...I will ask. If any friend of mine is crying, my question would be the same. Whether she can answer, or not, I will ask...because I want her to know that I care. I want her to know that what is important enough to her to make her cry is also important to me. 

See, it isn't really about the answer. But by asking, I'm saying... "Your tears matter to me. You matter to me."

"Jesus, why were You crying?"