Tears and Sorrow
It's not something people generally like to talk about but I really feel like God has been teaching me more about this subject and it can be quite a challenging "subject", but I'm sure you will know that already since we all go through struggles in life.
At the end of MEC (Midlands Easter Conference) where my dad was speaking, a guy sat in the response and evaluation chair (don't ask) and was talking about, among other things, how we should learn more about how to cry out before God... and not just as a metaphor but physically shed tears. At that time, I was reminded of the books 'Kneeling We Triumph', as you know as one of my favourites. There were a few chapters in both books 1 and 2, I think, that also mentioned crying out, groaning and sighing in the presence of our God.
Of course, returning from that camp was the moment we found out about my grandmother so there were tears though it was the first time I thought about what possibility of a different sort of tears that were mentioned at the camp and in the books. Last Sunday, the preacher was starting off a series on the Beautitudes and who would've imagined but it starts off:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those that mourn, for their shall be comforted."
-Matthew 5:3-4
Even on Monday morning when somehow I decided to join the team for devotions at Manna House (our team guest house), we were also looking at tears, at the emotions of Jesus in the context around the verse John 11:35, which you will probably remember better as the shortest verse in the Bible.
How pure were His tears? How much heavier were His tears for us, for the blinded and foolish? What do WE cry about if and when we do? Is it so bad to mourn and weep and cry out for a nation turned away from the almighty God? Psalms 119:136
It should hurt our hearts, pain our thoughts, trouble our souls that there are people out there perishing. Let us shed tears for worthy reasons and may God be merciful to hear our heart's cry so that we don't need to dwell in sorrow but also then learn to REJOICE in His presence and His goodness because in His presence is fullness of joy (and you know it!).
