Jesus Knows

Those who know me well know that I have a tender heart, a heart that makes tears flow very easily. I can't help it. It's just the way that I am. One afternoon driving home after a trying day, my thoughts overflowed bringing me to tears. It was at that moment that the Christian radio station quoted the Psalmist's poetic writings, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You've collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

Here I am crying, and David is saying in his anguish (he was a POW at the time), that he knows that God is aware of every tear drop and just as the hairs on our head are numbered, so are our tears, as if collected in his bottle and each one written down in his book and acknowledged. Not physically, but metaphorically, I believe it is true.      

The shortest verse in the Bible is, “Jesus wept”. This was when Lazarus died. A study of the translation reveals these were silent, personal tears. There was another time in the Bible that it was noted that Jesus wept, Luke 19:41, "As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it." This word for wept translates into "wept aloud". His love of his country, patriotism and seeing what it had become brought him to tears.             

I know the events of 2020 have brought many to tears. Our country is in pain in so many ways. For Christians, we hold on to the belief that God is in control. Jesus came to earth as a child, living on earth and experiencing life as a human, including shedding tears. He suffered physical and emotional pain, grief, anger, humiliation along with joy, peace, love—all the feelings. There could be another two-word verse in the Bible: “Jesus knows.”

Whatever you are going through, Jesus sees it all and knows. All our tears, shed and unshed, are known by God, not actually kept in a bottle, but may this imagery remind you, he was born, lived, and died all for you, that is how much he cares. May you reflect upon his love and in this birth, we celebrate now that leads us to life everlasting and a life of no more tears, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4. 

As we all navigate through the unknown seas (salted like tears) in this coming year, may you know that although you may sometimes be alone or those who feel alone even in a crowded room (pre-Covid-19), know you are never alone. Jesus is there. Jesus knows. Every tear drop that falls is seen. At this Christmas time and as we enter a new year, may you have the hope and the joy that only God can give. Merry Christmas.