Sadness and grief are natural reactions to death. It’s okay to cry.

Lazarus was Jesus’ friend. (Lazarus died.)

Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus grieved. Jewish friends consoled Martha; they wept with Mary.

Notice the reaction of Christ Jesus.

The Lord was deeply moved; He wept.

“Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.  So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept (John 11:30-35 NASB).”

Some of my dear friends recently lost loved ones. What is my reaction?

Friends console friends.

There was a man named Job. He was grieving the death of sons; loss of health and his wealth. His friends erred in their judgment about the cause of his suffering. Yet, at first they did precisely the right thing. They wept with him.

… “they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great (Job 2:12b-13 NASB)."

Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Devotions for the Deaf, The Secret Place, Coosa Journal, Mary Hollingsworth's The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter, Jo Krueger's Every Day in God's Word. http://www.pamforddavis.com
 http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?