When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 

"Where have you put him?" he asked. "Lord," they told him, "come and see." 

Jesus wept.

John 11:33-35 CSB

Jesus wept.

Jesus wept because of death, because he is Life itself.

Jesus wept at the separation death caused him personally with the separation from his friend Lazarus.

Jesus wept at the impact of death on the community of people in front of him.

Jesus wept as his own death was just around the corner, a week or so away.

It's Christmas, what's all this talk of grief, yet isn't that the real story of God entering in, Emmanuel, God with us, born as a helpless dependent baby, but always with the mission to reconcile us, his people back to Himself, to make a way, and Jesus is that way.

Jesus is the anti-death, he is Life. Because he is Life, absorbing death for us is infinitely destructive and pain filled, and Jesus wept. 

And as Jesus is using Lazarus's life, death and resurrection to point to his own, in that bigger story is this small, very human story, as Jesus weeps for Mary, as he sits with her in her grief, and weeps. 

Jesus knows. 

Knows us, knows what hurts, and is moved. 

Jesus wept.

Wept for your loss, your grief and mine.

Yes celebrate Jesus birth, because it's heaven invading earth with the saviour of the world!

"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. 

You will have suffering in this world. 

Be courageous! 

I have conquered the world"

John 16:33 CSB

#jesuslovesyou

#thereisaBigStory