Jeremiah 9:17-18 (CEB)

17 The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
Pay attention!
Summon the women who mourn,
        let them come;
    send for those best trained,
        let them come.
18 Hurry! Let them weep for us
    so that our eyes fill up with tears
        and water streams down.


Reflection

Do you find yourself crying more lately? I do. Many of us are feeling emotional because we’re trying to process the suffering, death and loss we are experiencing in the world. Sometimes we’re ashamed of our tears, and sometimes we can’t cry because we feel numb. We try to keep up the appearance that we’ve got our feelings under control, and suddenly, without warning, the tears start flowing. If we start crying with friends and family, they get teary too, because they care for us and are also experiencing loss. The grief and loss we are all experiencing right now is a shared experience. If you find yourself tearing up or crying more, you’re not alone, because God is crying with you.

I don’t know where we got the idea that God doesn’t weep or mourn with us. Jesus loves us, we are his redeemed children. At times of grief and loneliness, it can seem that God is far away from us. But we are only a prayer away from sharing the gut wrenching grief, anger and pain we feel. God wants to be invited into every area of our lives. When we invite God into our daily lives, we find love that heals our grief, peace that extinguishes our anger, and the presence of the Holy Comforter who is with us in fear, pain and loneliness. Our tears never go unnoticed by God. The One who loves us weeps with us and transforms us through our tears.

By Jeneene Reduker


For Pondering & Prayer

Christ is present with us in our loss and his tears mix with our tears. God sent Jesus to show us what love and compassion look like, so that we can follow his example. Jesus wasn’t afraid to weep with his friends. And his love is at work among us, sending us out to weep and mourn with a hurting world.

What are you weeping and mourning over in your life? Invite God into the places of your life filled with grief, anger and pain and ask to be transformed by God’s love.

Prayer: Loving God, you weep with us in our grief and pain. We feel lost and alone. Send your Holy Comforter to heal us and transform us with your love. Amen.