Bottled Tears

Tears in a Bottle

Psalm 56:8
You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.

Do you keep a journal of all the times you have cried? For some of us, that might fill a library of books. In the above scripture, the Psalmist tells us that God keeps a record of our tears and that He saves some of those tears in a bottle. Now I wonder why would God be interested in our tears? Could it be that our tears speak a special language to the very heart of God?

When my children were newborns I would place them in a small crib in my bedroom. At night I would move that crib just as close to my bed as I could get it. Usually, before I lay down to sleep, I would sit quietly on the edge of the bed and watch my baby sleep. I wanted to make sure that the little one was breathing normally. Then after I turned off the lamp I would lie there and listen to see if the baby was still breathing. Sometimes I even put my hand on that little chest as I would drift off to sleep. If at some point in the night the baby made the first whimpers of a cry, I would immediately awaken. I quickly responded to my child because I loved them so very much. I did not want any harm to come to my tiny baby. My mother-heart was tuned in to the cries of my infant.

I believe that is how God watches over me and over all who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for saving grace. After we have been born anew into God's family, God is our Heavenly Father. Now His heart is tuned in to our cries. Our tears are precious to Him. They stir the heart of God our Father and He responds to our tears.

Read these verses:

Isaiah 38:5  Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

2 Kings 20:5  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.

God saw Hezekiah's tears and He responded to those tears and to his crying out in prayer.

Perhaps you are searching for answers to your own tears as you read this article. Maybe your hopes and dreams have been shattered by the unfaithfulness of a spouse, the death of someone dear or some other tragedy in your life. Satan may even have whispered to your heart that nobody understands your pain and nobody really cares that your world has crashed into little pieces at your feet. 

Job said, (Job 16:20) My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
You may have cried out to God for help but it seemed that even He was not listening. Be assured, He has heard your cries. If you are His child, He has heard your cries and He will respond.

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all (Psalm 34:17, 19).

God does not always answer our cries when and in the way that we  think He should. He responds in a way and time that is for our ultimate good.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9).

We have One to whom we may pour out all the deep hurts in our heart and we do not have to fear that our confidences will be betrayed. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah (Psalm 62:8).

God tells us that we may approach Him boldly so that we may receive His mercy and grace in our time of need.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Take courage in the knowledge that one day, there will be no more tears in our eyes.  There will be no more sickness or sadness and no more death.  He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces (Isaiah 25:8).

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).

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes (Revelation 7:17).  

One day, perhaps very soon, our Heavenly Father is going to come for us. He will scoop us up in His comforting arms and He will wipe all our tears away forever. Perhaps, He will show us those bottles of tears that He has been collecting. He might just select one of mine and say, "Do you see this bottle here? These are the tears you cried. You were never forgotten. I did care that your heart was broken. I was there comforting you".