He Sees Your Tears

Mike’s wife left him.  She was having an affair and had no further desire to remain married.  Her bizarre behavior shook the very foundation of Mike’s life and the lives of their three children.  Yet, despite the intense pain of betrayal, the long hours of soul-searching and the challenge of holding his family together, now years later, I watch Mike thrive.  He leads his company with deeper passion and a higher compassion.  His walk with God is on fire—the holy, can’t-get- enough-of-Jesus flame that melts the hardest skeptic.  

On the phone Mike shared how in the last five weeks God placed nine men in his life whose wives left them—all having affairs.  Now he certainly would not have volunteered to be Job to reach Jobs but isn’t it amazing how God takes us in our brokenness and uses us for His own glory and purpose to comfort those who need comforting!
 
Meditation
2 Kings 20:5,6—“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, ‘This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.  Look, I will heal you.  On the third day from now you will go up to the LORD’s temple.  I will add 15 years to your life.  I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”
 
Hezekiah was not ready to die.  He wept so hard that God in heaven was moved and sent Isaiah who had just told the king to get his house in order because his time was up, to go back and utter the words in the meditation above.  We know that Hezekiah made at least two serious errors during his 15 years of extended life (read 20:12-21:6), but he also accomplished tremendous good—ridding the land of idols and faithfully worshiping the Lord.

God hears our prayers.  I recently spoke with a former Navy SEAL and good friend.  He confided in me two years earlier that virtually every night he suffered from nightmares, part of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) he endured from too many intense times of combat.  He asked me if I remembered laying hands on him and praying for his healing.  I did remember and was overjoyed by what he said next.  Since that prayer he has not had a nightmare.

God sees your tears.  He knows the height, depth and breadth of your pain.  And in His own time and way He willheal you.  So three questions arise:  What will you learn from your hurting?   Will you be like Mike and move from defeat into victory and into a deeper love for God?  Will you let the Lord turn loss into gain and become for Him a conduit for extended kindness and wisdom?  

​The world is full of tears.  Our God is full of compassion.  Never let the pain that roars drown out His whispered voice--I love you.  I understand what you are experiencing.  There is joy to be gained and it is yours for the taking.
                  
Inspiration
If we believe God is sovereignly in control of all circumstances of our lives, then our pain is something He has given to us just as much as our time or talents or treasure.  He has entrusted the pain to us as stewards to be used for His glory.—Jerry Bridges in The Joy of Fearing God
 
©2014 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)