100. He Cries A Lot (A 9/11 Reflection)

John 11:35-36

Today is the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I don’t think any of us will ever forget where we were on that morning. I know I won’t. Ten years ago I was a newlywed in college. It just so happens that on that morning, I was at a graveside funeral playing and singing ‘Amazing Grace.’ It was a peaceful and beautiful morning in Middle Tennessee with a gentle fall breeze blowing through the quaint little graveyard. When the service was over, I started my car and heard confusion and chaos on the radio. The first tower had just been hit. As it turns out, there is no such thing as, “it just so happened.” Jesus knew what would happen. He knew what would happen on the morning we’ll never forget. He knew what would happen when His friend Lazarus was sick and dying in his bed. He knew what would happen when He rode a donkey into Jerusalem a week before Passover with everyone cheering and singing His praises. He knew the cheers would turn to screams of, “Crucify Him!” Jesus knew what they would do and He cried. Jesus knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead in Bethany, but still He sobbed. Psalm 56 says that God keeps a record of our tears. He feels our pain and cries with us. We don’t know why bad things happen, but we know our Lord hurts with us. Ten years ago as towers fell, the tears of Jesus fell along with them. The Amazing Grace that saved us comes from the heart of Jesus that’s filled with not only grace, but Amazing Compassion. When you hurt, He hurts. When towers fall, when tears fall, Jesus is crying too.