When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

We may wonder sometimes if Jesus knows our grief. We forget that he is just as human as we are. When Martha goes out to meet Jesus, she is meeting with a dear friend. Unsettled, with mixed thoughts and feelings, she tells the Lord, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” It can sound almost as though she is reprimanding him. But her frankness over her frustration really shows how close she is to him, and him to her.  More…