Do you know that old hit from Smokey Robinson? It just came to my mind as I contemplated a word I learned while reading a devotional from Charles Spurgeon. The word is lachrymatory. It means having to do with tears. I find this word utterly fascinating! Spurgeon was talking about God’s closeness to us when we cry in prayer. Psalm 56:8 says, “you have put my tears in your bottle” and “Are they not in your book?” Not only does God catch my tears, but he keeps record of each tear that I cry!
Tear #86: when Mommy was late with a feeding;
Tear #1,457: I stubbed my toe;
Tear# 601,853: I feel alone
Consider all the personal space protocols that must be broken in order for anyone to be close enough to you or me in order to catch our tears. Yet here is God, Potentate of potentates, King of kings, Lord of lords, Master of the universe condescending himself to serve me in the retrieval of my lachrymatory secretions(tears).
Smokey sings, “If there’s a smile on my face, it’s only there to fool the public; Cuz when it comes down to fooling you, now honey that’s just a different subject” David was singing a familiar tune because on the one hand he was running for his life from King Saul, and on the other hand, living with his opposers. His world was so turned around that he could find no where to feel safe except in the land of his enemies. I imagine that somewhere reflecting on his interesting turn of events David was frustrated. He was confused. He was angry, and what do we do when we are frustrated, confused and angry? We cry. What comforted David then is what comforts us today. Even when we have no answers, when we are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, when we are lodged between a rock and a hard place, that God is close enough to catch our tears, and best of all, do something about it.
