The Compassion of Jesus

August, 2005

by: Lisa Hughes

John 11 records the story of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha who lived in the village of Bethany. Lazarus and his sisters were friends of Jesus. One day Lazarus grew very sick. The sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick but Jesus did not hurry to Bethany to go heal Lazarus. Instead He stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Jesus was not being uncaring. He knew something that the rest of the people in this story did not. He said in John 11:4: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” By the time Jesus arrived in the village of Bethany Lazarus had been dead for 4 days and his sisters were grieving for their brother. Now Jesus delayed coming to Bethany so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead, but no one else knew that. All they knew was that their beloved brother had died and their friend Jesus, who was able to heal the sick, had not come to heal him and now it was too late. Their brother was dead. As Jesus arrives in Bethany Jesus is first greeted by a grieving Martha and then by a weeping Mary. Both women tell Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Vs. 33 records, “When Jesus therefore saw her [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled.” In vs. 35 it says, “Jesus wept.” Even though God intended to use Lazarus’ death and resurrection for His glory, the pain Jesus’ friends were going through was too much for Jesus to bear and He wept. He wept for their sorrow. He wept that the best plan for their lives included this deep grief. His love for His friends moved Him to compassion for their sorrow, though He knew that soon their mourning would be turned to joy and that the sorrow that they were experiencing now was for their good so that their faith and love for God would grow even greater.

We have a Friend who daily bears our burdens (Ps. 68:19), who is with us in our trials. He has compassion for you in your sorrow even as He is working all things out for good for you (Rom. 8:28). Lam. 3:32-33 says: “For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly or grieve the sons of men.” It is not joyful for Him to cause His beloved children sorrow, but He will do what is best for us and that means that at times in our lives we will experience sorrows and grief.

The hymn “Day by Day” sums up this thought as well.

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find, to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,

I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure

Gives unto each day what He deems best—

Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

If you find yourself beset by sorrows and trials, take comfort in the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Tell Him of your hurts and sorrows. He will not leave you to go through them alone. He is a very present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1). I would also recommend a book called, The Little Preacher, written by Elizabeth Prentiss, the author of Stepping Heavenward and the hymn “More Love to Thee.”