Are you struggling with a very difficult time in your life? I know several people close to me who are having a hard time with the situations they find themselves facing. “I am sorry” seems like a pretty pathetic attempt to help in a life crisis. So where does that leave us? Satan loves nothing more than to enter into our lives at a pivotal weak point. He causes our minds to wonder, maybe even to occasionally doubt our faith and purpose. He causes us to ask hard questions. I don’t know about you, but I am glad God allows us to come before him just the way we are. We can bring whatever questions we have before him. So for my dear friends that are struggling, I offer you Psalm 56:8. He has not forgotten you, and in fact loves you dearly. This verse tells of the extremely intimate side of God’s love.
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8
We perhaps are so confused after a long course of trouble, that we hardly know where we have or have not been; but God remembers all in detail; for he has counted them over as men count their gold, for even the trial of our faith is precious in his sight.
This text speaks of David. He says that God would take notice of his afflictions and troubles, which had caused so many tears, and remember them, and deliver him out of them: these being desired to be put into a bottle was, that they might be kept and reserved. It seems probable, that this eludes to the custom of collecting tears shed in a time of calamity and sorrow, and preserving them in a small bottle or "lachrymatory," as a memorial of the grief. The Romans had a custom, that in a time of mourning - on a funeral occasion - a friend went to one in sorrow, and wiped away the tears from the eyes with a piece of cloth, and squeezed the tears into a small bottle of glass or earth, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow. David is trusting the Lord will be so considerate of his tears as to store them up as men do the juice of the vine, and he hopes that the place of storage will be a special one -- thy bottle, not just any bottle.
“Are they not in thy book?” Yes they are; that is, the tears and afflictions of his people. They are in his book of purposes; they are all appointed by him, their kind and nature, their measure and duration, their quality and quantity; what they shall be, and how long they shall last; and their end and use: and they are in his book of providence, and are all overruled and caused to work for their good; and they are in the book of his remembrance; they are taken notice of and numbered by him, and shall be finished; they shall not exceed their bounds. These tears will be turned into joy, and God will wipe them all away from the eyes of his people. (Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)
I love the picture of a dear friend wiping away the tears with a piece of cloth, and squeezing them into a jar, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow. What a picture of love and devotion to someone. However, one day our Savior will wipe our tears, but will not place them in a bottle, but will deliver us from them forever. In James 1 the Bible says, 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything….. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. I want to leave you with these words from Casting Crowns song Just Be Held:
Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on
And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go
So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held
If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will
And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands
Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
And where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won’t let go
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Share
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“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8
We perhaps are so confused after a long course of trouble, that we hardly know where we have or have not been; but God remembers all in detail; for he has counted them over as men count their gold, for even the trial of our faith is precious in his sight.
This text speaks of David. He says that God would take notice of his afflictions and troubles, which had caused so many tears, and remember them, and deliver him out of them: these being desired to be put into a bottle was, that they might be kept and reserved. It seems probable, that this eludes to the custom of collecting tears shed in a time of calamity and sorrow, and preserving them in a small bottle or "lachrymatory," as a memorial of the grief. The Romans had a custom, that in a time of mourning - on a funeral occasion - a friend went to one in sorrow, and wiped away the tears from the eyes with a piece of cloth, and squeezed the tears into a small bottle of glass or earth, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow. David is trusting the Lord will be so considerate of his tears as to store them up as men do the juice of the vine, and he hopes that the place of storage will be a special one -- thy bottle, not just any bottle.
“Are they not in thy book?” Yes they are; that is, the tears and afflictions of his people. They are in his book of purposes; they are all appointed by him, their kind and nature, their measure and duration, their quality and quantity; what they shall be, and how long they shall last; and their end and use: and they are in his book of providence, and are all overruled and caused to work for their good; and they are in the book of his remembrance; they are taken notice of and numbered by him, and shall be finished; they shall not exceed their bounds. These tears will be turned into joy, and God will wipe them all away from the eyes of his people. (Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)
I love the picture of a dear friend wiping away the tears with a piece of cloth, and squeezing them into a jar, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow. What a picture of love and devotion to someone. However, one day our Savior will wipe our tears, but will not place them in a bottle, but will deliver us from them forever. In James 1 the Bible says, 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything….. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. I want to leave you with these words from Casting Crowns song Just Be Held:
Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on
And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go
So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held
If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will
And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands
Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
And where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won’t let go
Like
Share
5
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