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The wounded paragon of America's military power looked ominously unscathed as I approached it on Arlington, Virginia's Route 110. Although I thought I was mentally prepared to witness the damage, I was stunned by the sight of the grotesque hole caused by the unprecedented destruction of the Pentagon's south side.
Nothing could describe the unfathomable shock felt by a survivor from that disintegrated ruin! Staring from the memorial-filled hill across the street from the impact zone, I saw police and yellow-slickered disaster crews still diligently working -- almost seven weeks after the disaster. To the right of a gargantuan, blackened pit of rubble made by the American Airlines jetliner when it exploded into the now non-existent walls of the massive complex, a three-story U.S. flag hangs vertically in proud, defiant contrast.
Jesus wept. [John 11:35]. That simple verse haunted me as I surveyed those results of the September 11 terrorist attack. Was Jesus weeping now? Does He weep over senseless death and loss?
In the familiar Bible story in John 11 where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, we see Lazarus' two sisters express bewilderment that Jesus had not been there to prevent their brother's death. Our reaction is similar as we cry for the dead and wounded. Where was Jesus? How could He allow this to happen?
If we view Jesus' tears through the total context of John 11, there are some answers. The Bible relates that as soon as they saw His tears the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" [John 11:36]. Yes, Jesus loved him, but when Jesus wept – it was not just because His beloved friend had died. Jesus wept because God allowed Him to share in our humanness. Jesus did not weep in mourning for Lazarus - He wept for the inability of those around him to understand His message. Recall that these were the disciples and Jews who had personally witnessed His miracles and they still had doubt.
The literal Greek translation of John 11:35 is: "shed tears – Jesus." This does not imply grief. Jesus beyond anyone would know that Lazarus' death was not finality. Why should Jesus mourn? The answer is – He did not.
Women Christians, as we try to explain the events of September 11, must be careful not to interpret them as good-versus-evil situations. Our biblical view emphasizes that every day is a good-versus-evil time in the spiritual realm of a Christian woman's life. Christ's message should resound above the American spirit of patriotism.
God does not choose sides, we choose God! We are responsible to teach our children to choose God through Christ and to live every day reflecting that choice to others. If we accept that not one sinless person has ever been killed -- except Christ alone -- then our "tears" should also be tears of shame that so many have died without accepting Christ.
Jesus wept. Share Christ's message to the world and take comfort in your understanding of His blessed tears.
 Michelle Cassell |
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