The Alabaster Jar Sample

He Stinketh

We hear of Mary again because her and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was sick. The account is in John 11: 

“When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home… Martha and Jesus talked. Then she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him… When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ … Jesus began to weep.” 

Jesus loved Mary. 

We can only guess at the intensity and passion of this encounter; Mary broken in her suffering, Jesus broken in his witness of her grief. In this, we glimpse the broken heart of our God for the suffering in our world and his willingness to stand with us in our pain. He is, and will always be God with us, in the place of greatest need. Pray today for the suffering of our world and thank God that he is with us.