Words of Hope: God’s Heartbreak
Shann and I were part of a prayer retreat recently. Each day had two or three presenters. One presenter who spoke on heartbreak asked this beautiful question, “What breaks God’s heart?” My friend, a world-renowned painter, Mako Fujimura, painted a piece called “The Tears of Christ.” He shares how powerful it is to think of Jesus weeping at the death of Lazarus. Jesus wept, and people said, look at how much love He has shown by his weeping. My dear friend gave me a quote that says, “Grief is the purest form of love.” Grief is a heart breaking, a pouring out of the tremendous longing and suffering too impossible to contain. It must be poured out, a river of tears, an ocean of tears. I find it overwhelming and humbling to consider God weeping, pouring out tears for us.
An image comes immediately to mind. When my dad received the news his lungs were permanently damaged. We were in his office. I had asked to have a Zoom call with his doctor because I wanted to understand the gravity of the situation. Dad was seated with his back against the wall, Mom was in a chair behind me, and I was facing the computer monitor asking the doctor pointed questions. As we stopped the call, Dad began to sob. Mom and I left our chairs and held Dad. Mom cradled his head, and I held onto his feet as we all wept together. I know Christ was with us, weeping and crying as well. This God who understands our suffering, our heartbreak. He does not distance Himself from our sorrow and grief but covers us with His tears.
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. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” – John 11:33-36
