Tears, 1of2

~ Tears Are Integral to the Human Experience ~

Introduction  ~  Life on earth, since sin entered in the Garden of Eden, is full of pain, sorrow, and suffering.  At times it becomes easy to question the reality, apparent lack of involvement in human affairs of a Creator who is a God of love, and His timing.  We see this throughout the Old Testament.  Consider how Habakkuk opens his book, “The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.  O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?  Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’  And You will not save” (Habakkuk 1:1-2).  The reality of pain and sorrow on earth is especially clear in the Psalms. 

Sorrow In The Psalms  ~  Here are some examples from the Psalms of cries for relief from the sufferings of this world and for the coming Redeemer-Messiah.  “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony.  My soul is in anguish.  How long, O Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6:2-3, niv).  “How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?  How long will my enemy be exalted over me” (Psalm 13:1-2).  “How long, Lord?  Will You hide Yourself forever?  Will Your wrath burn like fire?  Remember how short my time is; for what futility have You created all the children of men?  What man can live and not see death?  Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?” (Psalm 89:46-48).  “Return, O Lord!  How long?  And have compassion on Your servants.  Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!  Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil” (Psalm 90:13-15).

Conclusion  ~  Faith in God and the coming Redeemer is seen in those quoted passages.  Consider a couple more passages—one from the Psalms and one from the prophet Isaiah.  “You number my wanderings; You put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?  When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me.  In God (I will praise His word), in the Lord (I will praise His Word), in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:8-11).  “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.  And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.  This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation’” (Isaiah 25:8-9). 

additional note:  If you identified with this posting you might enjoy a previous ALN post entitled “Why Real Men (& Women) Cry: Resolve to Shed Tears” (December 29, 2009).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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