Tears in a Bottle

Tears are the first and most basic way in which we express ourselves as human beings. From cradle to grave, whether we are male or female, tears are part of the human experience. We all enter this world amid a flood of our own tears, and when we leave it, more often than not, we depart through a flood of other people’s tears.

During the course of my life, I have cried more than my share of tears. I have shed tears of joy, tears of sorrow, tears of physical pain, tears of emotional pain, tears of regret, tears of repentance, tears of gratitude, tears of disappointment, and tears of relief. I am certain that I have shed several other kinds of tears that I cannot recall at the moment. Although I may give the impression that tears are a frequent presence in my life, that is not true. I sometimes go for months without crying, and since I am not a person who uses tears to manipulate or evoke sympathy, most of my tears are shed in private.

In our society tears tend to be given a bad rap. We are told that nobody likes a cry baby. We are told that crying doesn’t help anything. We are told that boys don’t cry. We are told that if we cry, our eyes will look red and ugly. The list of reasons not to cry goes on and on. Nevertheless, as long as we live on this earth, tears will be a part of our lives.

Fortunately for our tear-sodden human race, God does not have such a negative view of tears. As Jesus entered Jerusalem just prior to celebrating the Passover and being crucified, He began to weep for the fate of those in the city saying, “Eternal peace was within your reach and you turned it down, and now it is too late.” (Luke 19:42, Living Bible) His concern for the people of the city was so deep that it produced tears.

God does not take our tears lightly either. David wrote, “You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book.” (Psalms 56:8, Living Bible) How comforting to know that when we weep, God is always with us—not just wiping our tears but collecting them as a remembrance of all that we have suffered.

The next time you find yourself reduced to tears, remember that you never cry alone, but also remember that there are no tears in heaven.  We have God’s word that He will be among us to wipe away all tears from our eyes, “and there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4, Living Bible) That is a promise that should dry anyone’s tears!

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