Star of Promise 1: Our Tears Bring God Near

My story:

Many of you already know my story, but, for those who don’t, here’s a brief overview. My twin Maria and I grew up virtually inseparable until a car accident took her life when we were 21 years old. Years later, my older sister Esther passed away from cancer followed by another sister, Patricia, also from cancer. Although I had not been as close with Esther and Patricia as I had with my twin, we had enjoyed special times together. They were my sisters and I loved them. Part of my sadness also rises from knowing how much the children and grandchildren they both left behind miss them.

Pictured above: Top left: My twin Maria and I about a year before her death. Top right: My sister Esther and I with my daughter Maria (named for my twin). Bottom right: My sister Patricia and I the summer before her passing. Bottom left: My daughter Maria, who is still very much alive, and I. I include her photo here as I’ve cried many tears since she got married and left to make a wonderful life in a new place thousands of miles away. My heart is so happy for her, yet I have found it is possible to celebrate someone else’s joys, yet weep for missing them so much.

The Dung Beetle:

Apparently dung beetles would circle dung piles forever if they didn’t have starlight to guide them in a straight line away from those stinky heaps.

I have found with all the heartache and hardship in my life that the only way I can keep moving forward and avoid circling into hopelessness and despair is to fix my mind on the promises and truths from God’s Word. Here is the first of these truths that has helped me.

A Star of Truth: Our Tears Bring God Near

Although the wording varies depending on the translation, a verse in the Bible sketches a picture of God collecting our tears in a bottle. In the New Living Translation, Psalm 56:8 reads this way: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Over the years, I have wondered why tears would be so high-end in God’s economy. I have been reminded that they are so precious because of what it takes to produce them.

First, they cost us. We experience the pain of losing a loved one, of separation, bad health, abuse, joblessness. The list goes on. The pain crushing our spirits makes our tears.

But second, they cost Him. To eliminate pain, as He promised, God gave His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus’s death has conquered all death and triggered the realization of everlasting joy in eternity. The torment Jesus endured was so terrible that He sweat drops of blood as He cried aloud. As it says in the Scriptures, “He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). And in Hebrews 5:7, it says, “While Jesus was here on earth, He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue Him from death.”

So, not only do we have a God who collects our tears but also a God who has cried Himself. The picture we are given is of an oh-so-loving, overwhelmingly compassionate, unimaginably attentive Father leaning in breathtakingly close to gather up each sign and expression of our heavy hearts. And as He is doing so, as other scriptures say, He is saving us and comforting us. Psalm 34:18 declares, “The LORD is close to the broken hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” He is the “source of all comfort . . . [who] comforts us in all our troubles” (1 Corinthians 1:3-4).

The beautiful mystery of it all is that while on earth, God allows us to have tears. In heaven, there will be a new economy where tears are not part of the equation. We have been promised this in Revelation. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4).

Wow! What incredible, stunningly beautiful reminders of the overwhelming, way-beyond-what-we-can-imagine love God has for us! Whether He is pressing close to save and comfort us as the tears drop from our aching souls here on earth or wiping the tears from our eyes in heaven, He is always breathtakingly full of lovingkindness towards each and every one of us. An Invitation:

Dear one,

Just as the dung beetle finds herself walking in a straight line as she tunes her radar to the Milky Way, consider tuning your thoughts to the verses on God’s response to our tears. I pray you will know comfort and encouragement as you do.

Blessings,

Michelle

Endnote: I base what I share on Scriptures and research, but please keep in mind that I am not a pastor, counsellor, or therapist. I pray over everything I write as I seek to ensure I never unintentionally mislead or hurt my readers through my words. Most of these blogs have been read and reviewed by an editor and manuscript judges. However, there is always the possibility that I could write something that you don’t agree with or that causes you concern or distress. I hope you feel completely free to reach out to talk with me about any concerns you have about what I’ve shared. I write humbly with a heart to bless, so I always want to hear if that is not how my words are coming across.

And if you think these articles could encourage someone else, please pass them on.