You know there will be days when the tears just won’t stop. Loss of loved ones; the sickness of loved ones, the pressures and anxieties of life–there may come a point when the tears come and they will not stop.

A theology of tears is seldom written on pages, but are certainly written on our hearts and souls.  Solomon tells us that there is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).  Seasons of life will bring tears whose reservoir comes from the depth of our very being, tapped by joy or sorrow or anguish.  How comforted I am to know that “the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry” (Psalm 34:15).

Even Jesus wept, moved by the surrounding weeping of those grieving over the loss of Lazarus–leading Him to weep also (John 11:33, 35).  Jesus wept not only over the loss of a friend, but also over the clutches of the Fall that put all of creation under a curse, whose groanings are heard by those who have ears to hear (Romans 8:18-25).  One day, those tears will be dried, mourning will cease, hospitals will cease to exist, sicknesses will be a thing of the past, a hurt will never hurt again (Revelation 21:1-4).

This life is filled with tears.  But for many, the life to come will be filled with tears, along with gnashing of teeth, due to their rejection of the One who dries the tears of today. One day all will see.  Tears come when we realize that many will never see that Jesus is enough, never recognize the hope and joy that can only come as a disciple of Jesus, never clinging to the cross that forgives their sin and reconciles they to Jesus, never seeing the empty tomb that shows that the bonds of this life are broken and the path to the life to come with Christ is opened.

For the Christian, the presence of tears comes from being in a place where you have no one else to run to but to your Dad. Praise God for His Son, Jesus, who opened up a path of mercy and grace that enables us to run to His throne!  Christ understands!  He’s been there.

And He’s here with us.

And He’s here with me.