A tradition of collecting tears was practiced by the ancient Romans. Mourning was a public event and when someone died, a small bottle was passed. The tears were collected and then buried with the deceased, showing his importance.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8
Could God be saying that, whatever it is we shed those tears for, it is of importance to Him too?
We all grieve differently. Some seek quiet and solace, and others the comfort of friends. Some stay busy while some have difficulty in getting through a day. I tend to seek out solitude or the presence of one or two. But whatever the process, it is a lonely time, even if surrounded by loved ones. I’ve talked about how God grieves with us, but it’s also comforting to know that He is concerned with our personal grief. God knows us so well that He not only has the hairs of our head counted, but also knows our every tear. Whether shed in public or private, not a single tear escapes His notice and He saves them all. They are precious to Him.
God knows our tears, whether shed amongst friends or alone on a pillow in the dark of night. He not only knows them, He saves them. Whatever our hurt is, it is that important to Him.
Someday, He will wipe away those tears. And there will be no more crying. No more pain. I wonder if He will still keep the bottles for us to see - maybe as a reminder of His victory over death and destruction.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:4
3 Responses