God Chooses to Be Present

Jesus wept.
So where is God? Why would God allow such senseless violence? Did God do this to punish someone? How could a person conceive of doing such a thing? What would be their motive? Are we supposed to forgive someone who would do this?
This week there have been more questions than answers. Random violence does this to us. We quickly grow tired of seeing the images again and again. Some become angry. Others become indifferent—somehow. Many just shake their heads. Anger is pointed towards God, the government—someone has to be blamed. Prejudices and bitterness motivate us to point fingers. The "if only" game starts. If only this had been done….If only I had ….This roller coaster of a game never ends. Do not get on it!
Jesus wept.
Many point to this passage as the ultimate passage of Jesus' humanity. His friend, Lazarus, died. Mary and Martha were wondering why he had not come immediately. They began to question Jesus. In response to all of this, Jesus did the human thing—he wept.
There are two passages in the Bible where Jesus weeps. The other passage is where he is looking over Jerusalem. He knows what is ahead. He knows the disappointment of what should be and what is. Jesus weeps because he is moved with compassion and pity. Jesus weeps for things to be different.
I like to say that the weeping that Jesus does is just as much of the divinity of Jesus as it is the humanity. I think God weeps. The offering that God gives us in our crazy world where life makes no sense is God's presence. It is not just a presence that is above us. God chooses to be affected by our suffering and our senselessness. God chooses to enter into the vulnerability of innocence. God chooses to know us and to be known.
It is comforting to know that God chooses to be in a dynamic relationship with God's creation. So the good news is this. God weeps in our sorrow and untamed moments. However, God also begins to work for good in the days ahead. May we never lose sight of this!
Pray for me as I pray for you.