John 11:33-35 – When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. (NIV)

Memorizing Bible verses was a requirement in my home as a child, and saying a verse at bedtime was a ritual. Some nights I was proud to impress others with my knowledge of long verses, but on the nights I was sleepy and wanted it over with in a hurry, I always chose the verse, "Jesus wept."

Even though tears were not encouraged in my home, this verse always intrigued me — not only because of its brevity, but also because it amazed me that my Saviour could weep.

In later years, a tragedy touched my life. In my pain and bitterness, I could not pray. I could not make contact with God. Sitting alone one day, I remembered the verse from my youth: "Jesus wept." A little voice inside of me seemed to whisper, "If Jesus wept, so can you." I thought of the occasion for Jesus' tears. His friend Martha was in pain. Her brother Lazarus had died. Jesus wept with Martha, thereby telling her that it was all right for her to cry.

That day, I released the floodgate that had held in my tears for so long and let them flow. I cried and cried until there was no emotion left in me. Suddenly, I realized I felt really good on the inside. I felt as though the tears had washed from my soul the cobwebs that had kept the connection blocked between my Maker and me for so long.

Yes, Jesus wept, and so can we. By His actions, He showed us that it is all right to weep. Sometimes our souls get filled with cobwebs, blocking the Spirit's flow. Tears cleanse and make us whole again.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us Your permission to cry and to cleanse our souls from whatever is blocking our contact with You. Amen.

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