937) The theme of my novel, The Bottle House, is built around the eleventh chapter of John. When the seeds of this book were planted in the soil of my mind (I believe by God), I was caught up emotionally on several things within this chapter.

I could understand Mary and Martha’s urgent message to Jesus to save their brother, Lazarus and then their frustration, and even anger, when Jesus does not show up at a time they really needed him. I could feel the anguish of the sisters’ words when they both said, “Lord, if you had only been here….” (John 11:21 & 32). And when Jesus goes to Lazarus’ tomb, he wept. Sometimes, this act touched me, because I could feel Jesus’ empathy with the sisters. At other times, it angered me because I felt it was, dare I honestly say, just for show. Why did I think that? Because Jesus knew what he was going to do–raise Lazarus from the dead. He knew he had not been there for the funeral, so could he be making up for it now? Had I been Mary or Martha, I’m not sure I would have reacted as some did in verse 36 when they said, See how he loved him!

In wrestling with these thoughts and feelings, the Lord brought to mind that Jesus wept because he hurt along with the sisters. He did not set himself apart from the suffering of his friends and spiritual children. Instead, he took in the whole of the sisters’ suffering and they saw Jesus cared; that he was concerned about the pain of those he loves.

If you feel God does not care about you; that he is indifferent to the sorrows and pain you feel. Remember John 11:35, Jesus wept. He wept beside Lazarus’ tomb and he’s weeping beside the tomb of pain you carry!