Friends
Have you ever asked the question, “Why, Lord, why?”
+++
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:32 – NIV
It was a happy home, a house filled with hospitality, alive with the joy of good conversation. Heavenly aromas wafted out from the kitchen window, a bounty of delicious food spread out on the large dining table whenever there were guests, and there were always guests. It was the kind of place where friends regularly gathered, a comfortable place to spend a pleasant evening, a family home, shared by a brother and two sisters, a home filled with the joy of love and laughter.
It was the place to be in Bethany, the prime stop in the village tour of homes. Everyone wanted to be on Martha’s guest list, including Jesus and His friends. The welcome mat was always out for Jesus, and anytime He and His disciples were in the vicinity, they dropped by for some good home-cooked food and lively conversation.
But the house was quiet this morning, no laughter erupting from the table, no sweet aromas floating on the air. The house usually so full of noise and activity was dark and quiet now, its joy-filled rooms now draped in a shroud of mourning.
It must have hit Jesus hard to see the house that way, as He stood on the street staring at the home that had been a refuge for Him. He had spent so many good evenings there, comfortable among His friends, chatting with lazurus and Mary while Martha scurried around, waiting on Him hand and foot. The joy of being in their presence had refreshed Him whenever He took a break from the road, but there was no joy now. Only heartbreak.
That’s when He saw her, stepping over the threshold, trudging slowly toward Him, shoulders sagging as if she carried a burden too heavy to bear. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she met Him on the path, her eyes finally meeting His as she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32, NIV).
Her words must have hit Jesus like a knife, a razor-sharp blade slicing straight through His heart. He offered no justification, no explanation of why He had not come sooner. Why had He waited four days to respond to their plea for help? Why had He not dropped everything and come to their rescue the moment He heard that Lazurus was deathly ill?
Mary didn’t say it, but she was no doubt thinking it. “Why, Lord, why?” Her thoughts must have been racing, unasked and unanswered questions flooding her mind. Why didn’t you come? Why did you let this happen? Why didn’t you stop it? What did we do to deserve this of all things? Don’t you care that we are heartbroken? Don’t you love us? Why, Lord, why?
Friend, have you ever been there? Have you stood wringing your hands, heart hammering in your chest, trying to comprehend why this horrible thing has happened? Perhaps you heard the doctor’s words, the terrifying diagnosis ringing in your ears. Maybe you watched as her breaths grew shallow, the rise and fall of her chest ceasing, the color draining from her beautiful face. Or maybe it was the moment you heard the door slam as he walked away, and you knew he wasn’t coming back. You watched, shoulders sagging, tears streaming down your face, as your world fell apart, and all you could think was “Why, Lord, why?”
Mary stood on that sandy path, staring into the eyes of her friend, her Jesus, her Lord, waiting for answers that did not come. Her questions hung there in the air between them, but no words came from Jesus’ lips. The only answer she received was His tears. In the cold light of that desperate morning, Jesus stared into her eyes, and He wept. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).
Why didn’t Jesus offer her the answers she sought? Why didn’t He tell her His plan? He knew He was only five minutes away from raising his beloved friend from the dead, and still He kept silent, still He did not reveal His plan. He didn’t answer why. He didn’t forecast the future. No, He simply stood and wept. Jesus stood in the midst of their suffering, and He cried with them.
Why would He choose to weep with His friends, instead of first fixing it? Why did He wait? He knew the rest of the story, and still, He stood and wept. Despite their questions, He did not answer why. He simply stood with them.
Why did Jesus respond that way? I am no Bible scholar, but I wonder if it was because He knew that there would be losses in our lives that cannot be explained. Perhaps because He knew we would suffer and He wanted us to know that He sees our pain, feels our hurts. Maybe He wanted us to know that He stands with us, that He will never leave us nor forsake us, even if He sometimes chooses not to spare us the suffering..
We don’t get to choose the plan. We don’t even get to know the plan. All we get to choose is whether we will walk our hard roads with God or without Him. He gives us that choice. If we believe in Him, if we trust Him, we will find that on our rough road through life’s trials, His presence is enough.
+++
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 – NIV
PRAYER
O Lord God, as we mourn our losses, as we grieve in our suffering, we seek your comfort, your mercy, your peace. We yearn to feel your presence. We search for your hand to guide us. Lead us through the rocky stretches of this journey and help us to find our refuge in you. Thank you, Lord, for your ever present help in our times of trouble.
In the Holy Name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen
Blessings,
Anita
-APS 3/31/2025
Faith Beyond Sight 