Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.” Longfellow

The last verse of Longfellow’s poem about rainy days, is appropriate for today’s post. This weekend brought us some refreshing rain. The lawns and gardens received an instant face lift with the addition of some welcome drops of water. I’m sure the farmers are happy too. When I was a child, it was said by someone that rain was the result of God’s tears. Here’s another one of those quotes from the old days. “Thunder is caused by angels bowling in heaven. I doubt that my Father, God cries or has a bowling alley up in heaven, but He certainly has a lot to be sad about. The state of our world is so far from His original creation. We have not been good stewards in caring for it as we should. He also watches as man’s hate can eliminate lives, break relationships, tear apart families. He sees young people choosing to wash the hurt from their minds with numbing drugs. He watches the unmarried woman choose to eliminate a new life. He hears the cries of the sick, the weak, the weary from every corner of the world. I can’t begin to imagine the cacophony of confusion in all of it, but He is God and He hears every cry for help. That’s the God I know.

Knowing that He is so much stronger than any one of us, makes us realize that tears are beyond Him. However, there was a time in history when He decided to live among us. He took on human form and was born like we were. His life was short, but impactful. He wept when he saw the condition of mankind. He cried for the death of a friend. His tears poured from his eyes like drops of blood, as He faced His own torturous death. God knows all about tears. He created them.

Those tear ducts that He placed in the first human beings served as an outlet for our deepest emotions. We cry when a newborn makes his debut. We cry at weddings when a new partnership is established. We cry when we’re in pain. We cry at funerals. We cry when we’re anxious, frustrated, lonely, helpless or sometimes for no reason at all. That last one is happening to me a lot these days. I will cry if I see a child at play. I cry when I’m washing the dishes. I cry when I’m laughing. I cry when I get good news or bad. The doctors keep telling us to stay hydrated, but how can you when you’re eliminated all that liquid from your eyes?

When we go through any kind of living – when those we love are sick – when we lose someone in death – when our future is uncertain – when you find the one to spend your life with – when you get a difficult diagnosis – when you wake up in the morning. All of those events can set off a deluge. Just remember that God is available 24/7. He will wrap you in His loving embrace, wipe away your tears and give you the courage to carry on.

Psalm 34:17 “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”