Jesus Understands Grief

As you might imagine, I’ve been thinking about grieving this week. Loss is always emotionally difficult to process. All the theology and logical thinking doesn’t lessen the sadness and anguish. If only a person could think their way out of grief, life would be easier. Thinking doesn’t solve life’s struggles, losses and pain. Jesus understood grief. He understood it personally, and he understood it on other’s behalf. When word reached Jesus about the execution of his cousin John the Baptist, he sought to get away from the crowds that were following him. He didn’t want to be with people. He didn’t want to entertain them, pay attention to them or pour himself into them. He wanted to be alone. “As soon as Jesus heard the news, [about John’s execution] he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone.” Matthew 14:13 (NLT) When Jesus’ good friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept. He wept because Lazarus experienced the ultimate enemy of man. Jesus wept because he could see and hear the pain of Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, as they wept over Lazarus. He wept about Lazarus and for his friends, even though he knew Lazarus would walk out of the grave. Hope doesn’t remove grief. Hope changes grief and pain. The Apostle Paul declared: “We want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NLT) Grief is temporary for followers of Jesus. Followers of Jesus are merely passing through life to their final destination. Life for a Jesus’ person is a layover before their flight home. Some layovers last 25 years, others last 90 years. God is the one who determines when our flight leaves. “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” Job 14:5 (NLT) Thinking about the death of loved ones, I’ve commented many times this week, “the only one who wins is the one who dies and joins Jesus. Everyone else loses, the wife loses, the kids and grandkids lose, co-workers, church family, community members and neighbors all lose.” The loss and pain are temporary. All followers of Jesus will enter into an existence where “there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 (NLT)