Grieving at the Feet of Jesus

Bible Verse for Today

“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet.”

John 11:32

Devotion for Today

Grieving at the Feet of Jesus

The next time we meet Mary of Bethany is in John 11. Only this time she isn’t there to learn or fellowship, she’s there to grieve. Her brother Lazarus had passed away, and she was heartbroken. So heartbroken that when she first heard Jesus was coming, she stayed where she was. She wanted to sit in her grief. However, Jesus had better in store for her.

While Mary was sitting in her grief, Jesus called for her. When she came to Him, the first thing she did was fall at His feet and all but blame Him for her brother’s death. She said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32).

Have you ever been there? Have you ever wanted to sit in your grief and question God’s goodness?

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” But when we’re grieving, we can’t always see how our grief can be used for good. At least I can’t.

But here’s what I love about Jesus. He didn’t chastise Mary, instead, His heart broke for her. He was “deeply moved” (v. 33) and wept with her (v. 35). That’s our Jesus. He loves us more than we could even imagine.

In John 11:5, we’re told that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. And He has that same love for us (Romans 5:8). When our hearts are breaking, His heart breaks for us. While Jesus won’t always raise the dead, His heart will always overflow with love for us. First Peter 5:7 tells us we can always cast our cares on Jesus because He cares for us. That’s the God we have. Jesus doesn’t want us to wallow in our grief. Instead, He invites us to come, lay at His feet, and grieve with Him.

Have you ever wanted to sit in your grief and question God’s goodness? Share on X