A Tear in Every Heart

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 15, 2018

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” John 11:33-37

This morning I woke up knowing I will not see or talk to my mom again in this life. Yesterday, she went to be with the Lord. Just past midnight, according to the coroner’s report, she was delivered from her intense pain and anguish. At the funeral home I wept over her with my two brothers, embraced by God’s comfort, knowing she had an eternal home where cruel cancer is extinct. My prayer is to love my family well and honor mom during this time of intense sadness.

In His mercy, the Lord uses life to illustrate His love and grace. The week which ended with mourning for my mom—began with rejoicing in the birth of our granddaughter—Myra Jane. Birth sows tears of joy and thanksgiving—death harvests tears of grief and gratitude. Birth embraces a created body and soul into a temporal life—death discards a body and escorts a soul into eternal life. Birth begins memories—death ends memories. Birth is Act 1, while death is the curtain call of our life story. There is a tear in every heart, because love cherishes life and death.

Jesus was one acquainted with grief and given to a good cry. Because He cared much, He cried much. In the gospel passage above, John captures the extremely emotional encounter of Jesus and His friends mourning over the death of their friend and brother Lazarus. A man full of life was now, seemingly, prematurely dead. Fortunately, Jesus showed up, but to some, His timing should have been sooner so He could have saved His friend’s life. But God’s timing is not always our timing, as His plans are for the greater good of His glory. By waiting, Jesus brought to life what had died, instead of healing a life that was already alive. Jesus explained later that belief in God brings glory to God. His power over death deepened their faith in Him as Savior.

Like Jesus, we can be present and weep with those who are grieving. Tears communicate a tender, uncanny, unspoken language of the heart, mind and soul. Moist eyes allow us to see and feel our heavenly Father’s comfort and love, and the comfort and love of His people. I miss mom, my heart aches and breaks. I want to know her better and I want her to know me better. She does now, and I will one day when I join her on the other side. My heart can’t wait!

I want to leave you with the beautiful words of one of my favorite’s of Charles Spurgeon:

‘Life is like a parade that passes before your eyes. It comes. Hear the people shouting. It is here. In a few minutes, people crowd the streets. Then it vanishes and is gone. Does life strike you as being just that? I remember, ah I remember, so many in the parade. I have stood, as it were, at a window, even though I have also been in the procession. I recall the hearty men of my boyhood, whom I used to hear pray. They are now singing up yonder. I remember a long parade of saints who have passed before me and have gone into glory. What a host of friends we have in the unseen world, which is ‘gone over to the majority’. As we grow older, they are the majority, for our friends on earth are out numbered by our friends in heaven. Some of you will fondly remember loved ones who have passed away in the parade. But please remember that you are also in the parade. Though they seem to have passed before you, you have been passing along with them, and soon you will reach the vanishing point. We are all walking in the procession”.

I love you mom, rest well….

“Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said” (Hebrews 4:3).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I weep knowing You weep with me.Your love and comfort wipe away my tears of grief,  in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application

Who can I invite into my grief for comfort and care to help me bear this heavy burden?

Related Reading

1 Samuel 1:10, 30:4; Psalm 35:14; John 16:20; Romans 12:15

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Tears communicate a tender, uncanny, unspoken language of the heart, mind and soul. #WisdomHunters #tears

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4 minutes – David Phelps: 

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