Tears of...

"Oh, that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" Jeremiah 9:1

Good morning, dear friends!

Photo: georgehodan publicdomainpictures

Ever feel like you need a good cry?

For any guys reading this blog today, a "good cry" is probably a mystery to you.  My husband was very perplexed when we were first married, and he had good reason to be.  After all, he would ask me, "What's the matter?" and I would respond with the female, "Nothing...and everything..." and procede to burst out in tears.  I'm sure my husband was asking himself, "So, are you crying about nothing, or everything?" but he had the wisdom instead to respond, "There, there," and give me a hug.

Now we are able to joke about it, but there are those days, when I just feel so overwhelmed that the only "logical" solution is to have a good cry, and then many times I feel better.  There are other times I know when my tears are not the best solution....

...when I am crying in anger about a "wrong" in my life...

...when I am having a pity party because I don't have something or someone close by...

...when I am frustrated because of "out of control" circumstances in my life.

Sometimes, the hurts cannot be seen with the eyes, but felt with the heart, and the tears I shed are from a deep pain that no other outlet can express.  

I think Jeremiah was having one of those moments in the verse at the top of this blog.  Jeremiah had been receiving the warnings and upcoming judgments toward the wickness of the people of Israel.  He had been warning them, knowing full well that they would not listen to God's warnings and return to their service of God alone.  He had been faithfully transmitting God's message, and the people were turning a deaf ear to God's Word.  

What prompted Jeremiah's tears? It was the continued rebellion of God's chosen people to their Creator God.  It was their indifference to sin in their lives.  It was the willful ignoring of God's pleas to return to Him, before God executed judgment on them.  

Their continued disobedience brought tears to Jeremiah's eyes. 

I don't believe this was a little cry, either.  Jeremiah describes his sadness and grief at the hardness of the hearts of those around him, that he exclaimed:  " Oh, that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jeremiah 9:1)  That is a lot of grief, and a lot of tears.

It begs the question:  When was the last time that I was so moved in seeing the wickedness of this world, that I was moved to tears?

How easy it is to harden my heart against the injustices of the world!  How easy it is to hear about natural disasters, or even the destructive acts of men, and not have any pity, or concern for others!  As long as all is well in my little bubble, I can easily ignore the pain and suffering going on all around me, and the horrendous consequences of sin in the lives of others around me!

My eyes should not be dry.

May God open my eyes, and break my heart anew, so that my heart is overrun with conviction and a desire to do everything I can to stand against the evil that is so prevalent today.  May each lost soul, each erring child, each wicked sin in my own life, cause my heart to be so burdened that I take to my knees in prayer.

May I see the world as God sees it, and be willing to act as His hands, feet and lips today.

There have been too many tears unshed today, and that needs to change...