Friends with Jesus

I'm reading through John with my Bible study mom's group. We just finished John chapter 11 and part of 12. If you aren't familiar, this is the portion of John when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead after comforting Mary and Martha in their mourning. After he raises Lazarus, they fellowship together at a dinner at the three siblings home.

This story is one of those stories that are told often in the church. We see the miracle Jesus preforms and how it alludes to Him being the resurrection and the life. All great stuff. Most Christians who have studied the Bible or read through John know this.

But the study we are using to help guide us pointed something out that I never really noticed. Jesus wasn't just friends with Lazarus. "Jesus wept," was not included just because one of his friends died. It was included in John's account of this story because Jesus was also mourning with his friends Mary and Martha.

Yes, Lazarus was his friend. But so were Mary and Martha. And the way He uniquely comforted the two of them was striking to me. He knew what each needed in the moment and met them there. They needed Jesus to know them. But they both also knew Jesus well enough to come to him in their most vulnerable state.

In this season of struggle, I am grateful for this tidbit that I never saw before because it is a great reminder that in my vulnerability, I can come to Jesus and he is going to meet me here. He is refining me while I come to him in my struggle. He is saying, "I'm here. Tell me your struggles."

He knows what hard is because he lived it. He knows what hurt is because he felt it. So going to him, knowing that, helps me to not sugarcoat the struggle.

He's there. He loves me. He desires for me to depend on him. He's going to comfort me in the way I need it.

This wasn't some big surprise. It's always been there in black and white. It was just never something I noticed before. So I'm grateful to be going through this study while I'm going through this struggle, and I thank God again, for always knowing when and where and how to reach his children.