WHEN GOD BOTTLES OUR TEARS

One of the recurring calls in the Psalms is the challenge to God to notice, hear, see, and respond to the suffering, anguish, and injustice experienced by the psalmist and observed among God’s people. At the same time, there is a sense of confidence that God is aware of their suffering and would intervene. This was the “God who sees,” described in language that was more poetic and intimate: “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, NLT).

This is a powerful image. Jesus later taught His disciples that not a sparrow can fall without God noticing (see Matthew 10:29), but David insists that not a single tear can fall without God collecting and recording it. Our smallest sorrows are listed in the memory banks of heaven. This assurance was why David was so prone to praise, even while the tears were still falling. If God noticed and every tear was counted, He would be sure to act, to bring justice, and to set wrongs right. Those who trust in Him will be vindicated, and one day, there will be no more cause for tears. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).

Not only are our tears noted, but we are assured that the sorrow and the suffering that they represent will be undone. Every tear matters.

As our tears are collected in heaven, we can trust the One who makes such careful observations. In Him, our fears are undone, and those who would cause our tears are rendered less threatening. If God is collecting our tears, what can other people do to us to make us afraid? Nothing is bigger than God’s intimate attention.