Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 77

Day 77 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read John 11:28-44 and reflect on Mary of Bethany, who came weeping to the feet of Jesus after the death of her brother Lazarus. Through her story, this devotional helps women bring real grief, unanswered questions, sorrow, and tears before the Lord. The page includes John 11:28-44 Scripture, a women’s devotional guide, reflection questions, a daily verse, prayer, and a life response. 

🌸  Dear Sister, welcome to Day 77 of our reading journey. 

Some pain cannot be explained away by words. Some losses cannot be quickly filled by comfort, no matter how sincere it may be. In grief, we may not have stopped believing in God, but we may not know how to keep coming to Him with a broken heart. We may ask, “Lord, why did You not come sooner? Why did things reach this point? Why did I pray, yet the outcome was not what I hoped for?”

John Chapter 11 shows us a woman who came to Jesus in tears—Mary of Bethany. She did not come with her emotions neatly arranged. She did not wait until her tears were dry before drawing near to Him. When she heard that the Master was calling for her, she rose quickly and came to Jesus. Then she fell down at His feet and said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

There was faith in her words, but also pain. There was recognition of the Lord’s power, but also a question about His delay. Jesus did not rebuke her tears, nor did He rush to silence her sorrow with an explanation. When He saw Mary weeping, and the Jews also weeping with her, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Then Jesus Himself wept.

A Minute of Grace

John 11:28-44 records the scene just before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Martha first speaks with Jesus, and then she goes back and quietly tells Mary, “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” As soon as Mary hears this, she rises quickly and goes to Him.

Mary comes to Jesus, falls down at His feet, and says, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Her words are similar to what Martha had already said, yet they carry the weight of Mary’s own grief. She is not calmly discussing a theological question. She is bringing her sorrow, loss, and unanswered pain to the feet of Jesus.

One of the most precious truths in this passage is how Jesus meets human tears. He does not say, “You should not cry.” He does not say, “If you truly had faith, you would not be this sad.” He knows He is about to raise Lazarus, yet He still enters into their grief. He is deeply moved, troubled in spirit, and He weeps. The tears of Jesus tell us that God does not stand far away from human pain, arranging outcomes with cold distance. He comes near to the grieving and weeps at the tomb.

Mary’s story reminds us that faith does not mean we cannot cry, and spiritual maturity does not mean we have no sorrow. True faith is turning toward the Lord even while we are weeping. True prayer does not require pretending to be strong; it brings the deepest pain of the heart before Jesus. Mary did not hide her disappointment. She brought her “Lord, if thou hadst been here” to His feet, and Jesus met her there with His presence, compassion, and resurrection power.

Today’s theme, “Mary: Meeting Jesus in Her Tears,” invites us to reflect: When we face loss, delay, regret, and pain we cannot understand, are we still willing to come to Jesus? Not after our emotions are calm. Not after we feel strong enough. But with tears, questions, and a broken heart at His feet. The Lord does not despise our sorrow, and He does not turn away from us when we weep.

Whispers for the Heart

1 When Mary heard, “The Master is come, and calleth for thee,” she rose quickly and went to Jesus. When you are grieving or disappointed, do you usually want to hide, or are you willing to come to the Lord? How does this sentence remind you that even in your deepest pain, Jesus is still calling you to Himself?

2 Mary said to Jesus, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Is there a similar “Lord, if only…” in your heart? Perhaps a question about delay, a regret about loss, or disappointment over an unanswered prayer. Are you willing to bring those honest words to the feet of Jesus?

3 When Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping, He groaned in the spirit, was troubled, and wept. Have you ever thought that God only wants you to become strong quickly, understand quickly, or move on quickly? How does this passage help you know the tender compassion of Jesus and trust that He is with you in grief?

As you read John 11:28-44 today, do not rush only to the miracle of Lazarus being raised. Pause also at Mary’s tears and see how Jesus draws near to human sorrow. He is not only the Lord who has power over life; He is also the Savior who weeps with those who weep.

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring your unspoken pain, delay, regret, longing, and tears before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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John 11:28-44 (KJV) 

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

💡 Closing Thought · Tears Can Come Before the Lord 

After reading John 11:28-44, we see that Mary did not hide her grief, nor did she wait until she was calm before coming to Jesus. She came with tears and fell at His feet, speaking the pain and questions in her heart. Jesus did not reject her tears. Instead, in her weeping, He revealed His tender compassion.

As we close this page and return to real life, perhaps there is still an unhealed loss in your heart, an unexplained delay, or an unspoken “Lord, if only…” Remember this: you do not need to pretend to be strong before you draw near to God. Your tears, questions, silence, and brokenness can all be brought before the Lord.

May today’s Scripture remind you that Jesus is not only the Lord who can raise the dead; He is also the Lord who weeps with people at the tomb. May you still hear His call in your grief, meet His compassion in your tears, and slowly receive renewed hope in the light of His presence.

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