Lent Day 7 - Comforted

Jesus wept. John 11:35

‘I hate this.’ That day, I’d been told I needed more surgery. Now, curled up in bed, all I could hurl at God was, ‘I hate this.’ Even as I said it, part of me recoiled. Was it OK to say that to God? I didn’t know. I began to cry, and God cried with me.

I hate it, too.

In John 11, one of Jesus’ closest friends – Lazarus – has died. Before Jesus arrives at Lazarus’s grave, he is met outside the village by Lazarus’s sisters. When he sees Mary crying, he is moved. He cares deeply. Her pain is his pain. Our pain is his.

Jesus talked with the sisters. Where have you laid Lazarus? Come and see. At the invitation to come and see, Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ (John 11:36). Jesus’ tears were recognised as a sign of his love.

Have you invited him to love you with tears? When we invite Jesus to ‘come and see’ our empty, broken, dead, ‘I hate this’ places, and allow him to cry with us, we know his love-in-tears; a precious thing to know.

As I lay in bed, crying, God didn’t say, It’s OK, I’ll heal you. He didn’t say, Will you stop crying?

I hate it, too.

Come and see. God saw and he stayed. He shared. He loved.

Love-in-tears. Look with my eyes. What do you see?

Comforted.

Taken from You Say by Emily Owen

You Say contains 101 biblical devotions that explores our true identity as beloved children of God.

It is easy to look at ourselves and just see our failings and imperfections. Yet God looks at us and sees us differently. He sees us positively, as we really are – unconditionally loved and accepted by him.

In You Say, Emily Owen seamlessly weaves together reflections, prayers, personal stories and the encouraging 'voice' of God to help us move away from damaging negative images of ourselves and step into the freedom that understanding our God-given identity brings.

Through Emily’s sensitive devotions, God’s words speak healing and affirmation to our souls as we are encouraged to see ourselves through God’s eyes.


Father God, sometimes I hide my tears. I never need to hide them from you. Help me open my heart to your love-in-tears, and to go deeper with you. Amen.