Tears in a Bottle
Psalms 56:8 (New Living Translation, NLT) says:
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
The Passion Translation (TPT) words it like this:
You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping. You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost. For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.
David's enemies were looking to harm him, but David turned to God. He mentioned that God knew everything he was going through and that even the tears he had cried were recorded- captured in a bottle of remembrance.
Like David, we all go through times of trial, times of persecution where others are looking to do us harm. We encounter situations that bring pain and misery. We cannot lose sight of the fact that God is near to us and He is keeping a watch over us. He is so involved in our lives that He has collected each and every tear we have shed. His Spirit comforts us in our suffering. And when we reach heaven, He will embrace us, wipe away the tears, and reward us for our faithfulness in trusting Him through the hardships of life. The trials, the dangers, the vicious attacks, the nights of weeping, will all fade from our memories in the light of His love and tender care.
Our God is called our Heavenly Father because that is exactly what He is. As our Father, He watches over us, meeting our needs, protecting us, and helping us with the problems we face. Our part as children is to trust Him to do so.
Undeniably, in this life, we deal with hurts, grief, treacherous enemies, and difficulties of many sorts- because we live in a fallen world that still suffers the effects of sin. And it is inevitable that we will shed some tears. However, we can find comfort by reminding ourselves that there will be a day of no more tears and no more sorrow. When we are with Jesus, the tears will be in a bottle and we will shed them no more... for all eternity.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4 (New International Version, NIV)
