Tears

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Tears One

August 20, 2007. Mustard Seed Thoughts

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? Psalm 56:8 KJV

What does the bottle look like? Do each of us have our own bottle? And, what is this book? Don’t the pages get wet? I know these may seem like silly questions, but they are real to me. I want to know all I can about a God who would collect tears!

What does He do with them? Why are they so important to Him? Does He measure the size of the drops? Does He analyze the chemical makeup? Does He catch them with His hand or with the bottle? Has He ever dropped one?

The Bible talks a lot about tears. I suppose that is because tears are such a real part of life. I watch as my wife reads a book that makes her cry. Does God keep those tears as well?

Let’s talk about tears this week. Who knows, you may need to shed a few. Tears can be a wonderful thing, especially as God catches them!

[free2bunme]

Tears are healing. Tears are a release. Tears are cleansing and purifying.:1:

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Tears Two

August 21, 2007. Mustard Seed Thoughts

Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. 2 Kings 20:5

God does see our tears! The Bible is very clear about that. In this story, Hezekiah was told he was going to die. He cried out to the Lord and the Lord healed him. God added fifteen years to his life.

Sometimes we just need to cry out before the Lord. We need to be willing to approach him, holding nothing back, with honesty and humility. When was the last time you shed tears before the Lord, crying out to Him with your needs?

I have met people who refuse to cry. They will certainly never let anyone see them cry. To them tears are a sign of weakness in some way, or maybe even distrust in God.

I don't think that's God's plan. Don’t “bottle up” your tears! Let God bottle them up! Pour out yourself, including your tears, before the Lord. Show yourself openly and honestly to Him! And, no, it does not make you less of a man to shed a tear. Now, I’m not raising my boys to be “cry babies”. There are times to cry and times to be strong, but when your life is caving in, or you are facing something far bigger than your own abilities, cry out to God! Shed some tears!

He’ll catch them! And, you’ll catch more of Him!

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Tears Three

August 22, 2007. Mustard Seed Thoughts

am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Psalms 6:6

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? Psalms 42:3

Yesterday I encouraged you to shed some tears every now and then; to pour them out before God. I realize that encouragement was mostly for those of us “tough guys” who seldom see a tear. Some of you don’t need any encouragement, do you?

Some people who read this are like the Psalmist. You go to bed and swim in tears. You can’t sleep so you go to the couch and then you flood it with tears. You can’t eat because you are so upset. Is your life full of tears right now?

I understand. Not completely, because no one but God really can, but I have been there. The pain in your life seems unbearable right now. You can’t function because the heartache overwhelms you. It is affecting every aspect of your life. Some even call it clinical depression.

I don’t know what to tell you. I could share with you that God says His grace is sufficient for you. I could tell you that He says He will never leave you nor forsake you. I could tell you that He said He is working all things for good (and He is, even though you can’t see it right now). I could remind you that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. I could, if you need this, share with you that Christ is the only answer, and the only way to get to God, and you should trust in Him alone for salvation and help, if you never have.

I can tell you lots of comforting thoughts from God’s Word, but would that work? Would that dry up those tears? Perhaps for a time, but then they would return again. What you need is time; time for God to work His will in your life. You need to remind yourself that God is in control and then you need to wait on the Lord and be of good cheer. As you shed your tears, He is watching, and He is catching them so He might one day make you whole again. In fact, He will actually make you better than you were before.

Lord, bless your people as they share their tears with You!

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Tears Four

August 23, 2007. Mustard Seed Thoughts

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Psalms 39:12

The reason God will hear your prayers and see your tears; the reason He will catch them and collect them in a bottle; is because you are His. You are God’s child. (I trust you are, because this is only appropriate counsel if you are. If you are not sure, reply back to me.)

God is attentive to the prayers and tears of His people. When my boys were smaller there were times when I was sound asleep at night and something would wake me. It was usually a small sound that I could barely hear, but as I get up, it got louder and louder. It was the cry of one of my boys. As a Daddy, (Mothers are always best at this) something just alerts you to the cry of your children. Whether it's for a bad dream or a fever going up, children often need the comfort of a parent.

You and I are no different. Thankfully the Father who hears our prayers, and catches and collects our tears, never slumbers nor sleeps. He is always on the job. No tear ever falls that He does not see; even those we are too proud to shed!

If you are going through a real trial right now, have confidence that your God hears your prayers and sees your tears. He knows you so well and His greatest desire is to see you at peace. He wants good for you and He is working to that end.

If you are a Christian, you are on a journey with God and He will never let you down! You can trust Him to not only see your tears, but to store them up in His bottle. I believe it may well be a bottle just for you! We’ll see why tomorrow!

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Tears Five

August 24, 2007. Mustard Seed Thoughts

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

God has been catching your tears, storing them up all your life, so that one day He can wipe your eyes dry of them forever! God cares that much!

I hope this week you have reflected on the love your Heavenly Father has for you. I can’t help but wonder if everyone who reads this has that kind of relationship with Him. You know that the Bible says the only way to get to the Father is through His Son Jesus. Have you called upon the name of Jesus to save you? Please do so today.

If you have, God is catching your tears and storing them in your bottle so that He can personally, (He won’t let anyone else do this) restore to you the joy lost through those tears. He wants to change your life forever! God wants to share His glory with you as He has with Jesus, so that never again will you face the trials of life that bring forth tears.

Do you have any tears you need to shed? Go ahead, let them flow. God is watching. He cares so much that He longs for the day when He can take them away! It’s His greatest desire for your life that you may be with Him forever; where there will be no more tears!

Fellow struggling believer, hold on tight! Our God and our Redeemer lives! He sees our pain, and He is saving our tears for our future glory!