Other resort guests walking past our cabin here at Afterglow Lake have heard a good deal of crying coming through our screens. Most of it has been from little children, but that’s because adult crying isn’t usually done in the same all-out, open-mouthed way.
There’s a fascinating verse in Psalms that speaks of God collecting our tears in a bottle. During the 42 days when Nate had cancer, quite a few of the letters and cards we received quoted this passage.
I’m a visual person who appreciates the thousands of word pictures God tucked into the Bible. A bottle full of tears is a potent image of several things: God’s nearness to anyone who’s upset to the point of tears, and his mysterious ability that can somehow collect literal tears.
I’ve thought about this bottle in reference to all our family crying as we’ve grieved for Nate during these last ten months, wondering if this verse could possibly be literal. Many would say, “Nonsense.” Of course God can do anything he wants, because he knows no bounds. Even the tears that slide down our cheeks and are whisked away by a tissue or an available sleeve could easily reappear in God’s bottle if that was his intent.
If it is a literal statement, what might that bottle look like? Because the scriptural word for it is singular, it would have to be one giant bottle! What could God possibly want with those tears? They’re salty, as all of us can testify, having caught them with our tongues as they’ve run past our mouths. They are also clear.
According to Revelation (22:1), heaven will have a “river of life” running from the throne of God, “as clear as crystal.” Is it possible God plans to use our tears to create this supernatural river? Could it be a “salt water river?”
Just when we become completely speechless over such a possibility, we get another inexplicable fact from the same verse. It says God records each tear in a book. Such detailed record-keeping is imponderable, but we’ve always known the Lord was good with detail. He keeps track of all our sorrows (same verse) and cares deeply about our suffering.
Today several of us spent eight hours with grandbabies, much of it trying to soothe tearful crying. Mid-afternoon I grabbed 30 minutes alone to sit among the tall pines next to Afterglow’s small beach. I brought my Bible, wanting to listen to God through its pages, and part of what he asked me to think about was the bottled-tears verse.
Recently a widow friend said, “No one likes a weeping widow.”
I understand her point. As we get close to the one year anniversary of Nate’s death, people expect grieving to conclude. Today God was saying, “Don’t worry. I don’t see your tears that way but will continue to take them from you and ‘own them’ myself.” I appreciated this tender word from my loving God, especially this week as I’m missing Nate at Afterglow Lake.
Does God collect and record the tears of even a tantruming two year old or an overtired baby? I believe he does.
“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)
I’ve been praying for you this week and trusting God to bless each one of you in a special way as you make a new family memory. I believe God does collect our tears and, while I had never thought about the “river of life” in heaven – it would sure be a wonderful way to use them. I was thrilled that Linnea put together the photo album about Nate for the family – I made one for my mom’s 80th birthday last year and just pulled it out to look at it again. Hope you can take lots of pictures this week – even of grandkids crying. Greet the family for me and know I’m praying for you today. Hugs, Judy
Thank you for that encouragement from God’s Word, Margaret. Although no one in our family has died, there have been losses of other kinds in the last two years which continue to bring tears. I think of you and your family daily as you approach the significant ‘anniversaries’.
Imagine that God would collect anything! Those tears must shine through the glass in a way that causes His heart to turn over.
Let your tears flow freely, morning, noon, and night. Our spouses are still with us. We SEE their faces in our children and grandkids. We HEAR their voices in those of our families. Thank you, Lord, for wonderful mates.
I cry at the very ‘thought’ of crying; it disturbed me so much, I asked God why I cry so easily and sometimes uncon trollably? His answer, “tears are a WASHING OF THE SOUL”. My soul being my mind, will and emotions….I’m a deeply compassionate person -spiritually and souly. I no longer make apologies for them…embrace them and let’em flow..wherever and whenever…I think God collects them to use to bring us the rainbows.
Love you all.
God created the ability to cry. It is a form of release. Release from stress, grief, sadness, disappointment, joy, happiness and Hallmark cards. God’s creation was perfect but marred by sin. He cares about our emotions and I have always loved the bottle of tears as a symbol of His caring for our hearts.
Ah, ya got me cryin’! Does that tell you something, since it’s been almost 15 years since Reggie died? I agree with the others. Tears are cleansing and a release from almost unbearable emotions. Those of us with tender hearts just simply cry easily. Let’em flow, dear buddy!
Margaret, if you can believe it, I’ve never read that verse, or at least don’t recall it. You brought it to my attention at a time when I’ve also been doing a lot of crying, mostly out of frustration with current situations in my life. It’s so comforting to be reminded God shares in my troubles — so comforting it brought tears to my eyes! The bottle, whether real or symbolic, also reminds me we share our tears with everyone else on earth who is mourning or frustrated or even crying out of joy. So beautiful.
Hi Margaret,
I trust that despite the exhaustion and tears of the toddlers and babies, AfterGlow is proving to be a great idea hatched last Christmas. I hope He gives you more time to ponder among the pines.
Just wanted to encourage you to be who you are in whatever emotional state you find yourself this month, the next, and every one after that. Everyone loves this “weeping widow.” I am reminded of Psalm 23- the valley of the shadow of death is a walk not a run- the Lord is not in any hurry and is leading you at just the right pace. One year is not a magic number. Jesus Himself was a man of sorrows, yet no one could say He wasn’t possessed of fulness of joy as well. I think joy and sorrow are two sides of the same coin. You will carry both of these for the rest of your life. What you are doing is bringing great glory to God by the way in which you are leaning hard on Him and drawing deeply from His well. You have an audience of One and He is well pleased to continue to collect your tears far beyond November.
Love,
Terry