Jesus wept! John 11:35

Now, I know many of us would like to make that our “life verse” just because it is the shortest verse in the Bible.  But think about it!  I don’t  want to make Jesus cry!
Right before that verse it says he was angry and deeply troubled because Martha and the people with her were weeping over the death of Lazarus!  Right after the “He wept” verse, it says Jesus was still angry when He arrived at the tomb and then he called Lazarus to come forth out of the tomb!
I’ve always thought He cried out of sadness over the death of a friend but Instead he cried out of a place of anger! I think He was angry because of their unbelief!…  Conviction falls heavy! Not out of guilt but out of sadness knowing He has probably “wept” a few tears of anger over my struggle with unbelief!  Reading in Streams in the Desert for today I read the following:

“Who can estimate how much we owe to suffering and pain?  But for them we should have little scope for many of the chief virtues of the Christian life.  Where were faith, without trial to test it; or patience, with nothing to bear; or experience, without tribulation to develop it?”

Hubster and I were talking after dinner about the verse in Psalms 23 about goodness and mercy following us our whole life.  Trials are really blessings in disguise for with them comes goodness and mercy and a chance to grow our faith in God!  Maybe then Jesus will weep  tears of joy in the proof of our trust in Him!

The other day, it was cold and rainy so I started doing some housecleaning.  I am trying to clear out my sun room a little bit.  (Those of you who know my sun room, please don’t faint!)  Coming across this milk glass vase I decided to just save the lavender buds and throw away the stalks.  This picture will always make me think of the smell of lavender that filled my kitchen!  What a healing, joyful scent!