Jesus wept

He saw heaven being torn open (1:10) 

As I sat at the back of the examination, I began to read. Don't worry, it was an internal school exam and I was not alone so no rules were broken, no one's future was at risk. The book in question had been recommended via a circuitous route. I had discovered George Macdonald was CSLewis' inspiration for the Narnia series, indeed might be considered the inspiration for all modern fantasy writing, so I had found a collection of his writings put together by the aforesaid CSLewis. And I had reached these words: wake up you sleeper and rise from the dead. Suddenly I was overtaken by a sense of awe, quietly shaking and with tears rolling down my cheeks. In that moment it felt like heaven was ripped open, and I knew, in my small way, what it is like to see God. When Jesus saw heaven opened I wonder if he collapsed at the knees and start to weep, not in sorrow but in joy, just like me. So often he is portrayed as taking it in his stride but this vision was anything but common for him. And he got the voice.

Too often emotion frightens us. We hide our hearts in fear of looking foolish. And when we imagine Jesus we do the same. We hide his heart for fear he will look foolish. Maybe though we are wrong and these emotions are a whole lot more real, a whole lot more human and a whole lot more full of the Father than all our controlled wisdom. 

As it is said, Jesus wept. Can we?



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