Jesus arrived 4 days too late. Lazarus was already dead and buried. When Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and wept. Jesus not only empathized with those around him, but he was also sad for the death of someone he loved. He was also sad that the power of death existed in this fallen world. But Jesus came and went to the tomb where Lazarus lay and raised him from the dead.

As Christians, we believe that death is not the end. Still, we cannot but feel sad, a sense of loss, and maybe even guilt. We pray hard that God will heal and strengthen our weak and failing bodies. When a loved one dies, we wonder why God wasn’t there or didn’t hear our pleas for help. Did we not have enough faith, or was God punishing us for that thing we did a while back?

Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you will see the glory of God?” While Jesus doesn’t ignore the reality of death, he demonstrates that there is resurrection and life after death. God’s love still reigns over us. If we believe, we can experience the power of resurrection and victory over the power of death. Love overcomes death.
Application: Lord, we experience death, regret, and guilt. Pour out your love and mercy and give us new life.
One Word: See how he loves you!