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The
Secret Place ... Read Primary Chronicle
TEARS
IN A BOTTLE …The Chronicle
(Psa
56:8 KJV) Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears
into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
This illustration first came in mind
picture form …before I began doing art. I had been writing
the introduction to the narrator (an animated pencil) for
one of my upcoming books. He (the pencil) was saying that
God could erase our mistakes. I was using the reference in
Ps. 58:8
As I pondered the
scripture, I began to hear a splash as the tears dropped
into the bottle –it was as if the sound resounded
throughout the universe. It did not go unnoticed –God and
all the heavenly hosts turned their attention to it.
I had not realized
that when David wrote this psalm, he was in the corridor
of transition –going from the place where he was anointed
and toward the promise. Many times that corridor seems
long and dark –lonely and oh so unpleasant. In that place,
the place between the promise and the promotion, David
felt like all hell had been unleashed against him. He was
contempt to his neighbors and dread to his friends
–slandered and lied about by his enemies –broken and
discouraged. In his anguish, he cried out to God. Even
when we are tempted to quit and give up on ourselves God
never does. His word is working on us when we are not
working on it. (Isa. 55:11). His promises to you are yes
and amen …we need to realize this when things are seemly
slow to manifest.
Instead, I saw
individuals even from childhood in a shadowy place –tears
flowing –misunderstood, abandoned, misused and abused. I
could see God carefully allowing the tears to collect in
the bottle –saving them for a time when He could turn the
pain and wounds to something that would work for their
good. (Rom. 8:28)
David was in tune with
God’s grace, mercy, and faithfulness. But even during the
times when we were not aware of Him - He was touched with
the feelings of our infirmities. Knowing Him, He could not
turn a deaf ear to our cries even when we were not crying
out to Him; He was there patiently and lovingly waiting
during our wanderings.
Whenever you are going
through a time where the tears seem to want to flow, know
that He is listening... collecting them for they are
precious. Or when your mind tries to revisit
that place of pain or that place of wounding –look at the
illustration and see that your tears were important enough
to God to collect in a bottle. You have never and never
will be alone; His ears are attentive to your cries. He
turns your mourning into dancing. When you sow in tears
shall reap in joy. |
