"Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy."
(Psalm 126:5 TNIV)
My last post spoke of how we might water the dry ground with our tears, to make it fertile for the harvest. I recently learned how the nineteenth century Scottish missionary, David Livingstone, referred to the wonderful Scripture from Psalm 126: 5-6 in his missionary life: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy, those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (TNIV).
It seems that Livingstone understood the significance of prayers that produce tears; the prayers where your burden lies, the prayers that cry out to God for His attentive ears, and ultimately offer answers. This synergy was revealed to me personally only two years ago by my Vicar here in London. On one occasion, after praying together over coffee, I felt to explain, albeit somewhat coyly, that my eyes and cheeks were wet because I often weep when I pray. What she shared has stayed with me, profound in its truth.
For my Vicar told me to watch where I weep, for it is most likely the place where the Lord is calling me. And it is true that I weep in prayer when I start to pray about that for which I am most connected: mission. It’s a soul cry. Yet tears also interprete what our mouths may not or even need not articulate. As a colleague once uttered, "tears are a language that God understands".
More latterly, I have thought of Nehemiah, who "wept and mourned for days" over the broken walls of Jerusalem, leading to his bold petition to a Gentile King to be released to go to his people to rebuild the walls. You can read his prayerful lament in Nehemiah 1:4-11. And what I realise is, whether tears flow because my words in prayer are passionate or because I cannot find my words, they send a heart cry to God of genuine intimacy and power. The seeds of tears harvest joy and sheaves (Psalm 126:6).
So, I encourage you to watch where you weep. For therein may lie the clue to the Lord’s call upon your life or the tool to express what your tongue dare not. Tears as a beautiful rain upon the prayer we bring. And then, like David Livingstone and the psalmist, you can be confident while you pray that “those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy” (TNIV).
I like what you are saying here. Tears come quite easily to me these days and i can see a theme in what initiates them...
I agree. 'Watch where you weep' is wise advice.