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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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