I rode with Amy yesterday to pick-up Landon from school, one of my favorite things to do. I have told her before that I am "not in" for the dropping off but to see that pretty little face peeking out from under the rain protecting hoodie (with a shy grin because he saw MaMa in the car) just made my day!
I do love the "picking-up" of him and his beautiful sister. As he was buckling in, he related a story that happened which made him sad on this particular day and when Amy asked him did he cry, he said this " No, I was sad enough to but I knew it would be embarrassing in front of the boys, so I stopped my cry!"
Did you ever hear the silly phrase as you grew up that "big boys don't cry."? I am here to debunk that myth and say little boys cry, big boys cry, little girls cry, and big girls cry. I am not talking about whining- these are two different things. I know we are to instruct our little ones not to whine about everything. Some adults even didn't learn that lesson and as a rule, whining has to do with feeling we aren't getting something we deserve. I think of a verse like Phil.2:14 "Do all things without murmurings and disputings." We all know the difference of whining "I don't feel like cleaning my room." "All the other kids get to do that."..... and crying, which comes from hurts, needs, or broken hearts. Again, we adults can get into that trend too which is maybe why our children do it because as a wise person once told me concerning child-rearing. Lessons are more caught than taught!
Well, it seems that I always get distracted from the point even before I get to the point. Probably, because I am an overexplainer, is that even a word? :) Bill O'Reilly instructs "Keep it pithy." I would probably drive him crazy because I have something to say. :) :) :)\
It's ok, dear one, to cry. It's more than ok, actually. We can tell alot about a person and more specifically about ourselves by what makes us cry. Today, I looked up the words "cry" and "weep" in the Bible concordance and will share with you, if I may, some things I learned.
Sin caused God's people to weep. Today, we seem to laugh about it rather than mourn over it. Remember, God's children, sin may not be a popular subject, today, many seem to ignore it , the world seems to glorify it, but Scripture hasn't changed and it still proclaims this truth. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 6:23 Galatians 6:7 says "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Have you wept lately over sin and it's consequences? You still do believe, don't you, that it is the culprit behind broken homes, broken lives, little children crying, teens who think life is hopeless? I cried this morning, firstly, over my own sin. That's the one that should disturb us the most. "Well, Deborah, will you go on this day in guilt and condemnation?" No, no, I will not because I confessed before the Lord( Who has already cleansed me from all my sins) that I know I fail and am not what I should be but I want to be and He knows that to be the truth about my heart. I am clean in His sight as He told His disciples in John 13 but as I walk in this world, my feet get dirty and to keep that persistent intimacy with Him, and I long for that dearly, I must keep short accounts with Him concerning my sin. Let me ask again, dear one, does your sin bother you? If not, you need to examine your heart and ask why not?
King David mourned over his sin; Peter wept bitterly when Jesus looked on him shortly after he denied knowing Him. We should cry over personal sin and then, we should, as Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, the Apostle Paul, and others did, weep over national sin. One of my favorite Bible teachers and authors, John MacArthur, said this about Isaiah -"Isaiah could not participate in the revelry because he saw the reality of the spiritual issues." Is. 22 Concerning Nehemiah, in chapter 1, he writes " Nehemiah was greatly distressed that affairs there (in Jerusalem) had not advanced the cause and glory of God."
Church of God, have you wept lately over the spiritual condition of America? A wise Pastor told me just recently "Our prayer, Deborah, should be for mercy on our country." And I pray that as I see our digression and sadder that that, our apathy. We know more about the American Idol contestants or the 2013 recruits for our favorite team than we do about our founding fathers or about the men and women in Washington DC today , most of whom do not have the character nor principles to stand for what is right any longer. I don't mean to burst anybody's bubble today but America has sinned, by and large don't care any more that they have and we are in trouble. Pray, Christian, pray!!
The Apostle Paul wept over people who were still outside of Christ. Rom 9. I prayed this morning for some of those , many that I have prayed thirty plus years for and still praying that God in His mercy will draw them to His side. Paul wept because of the love he had for the churches. 2 Cor. 2:4 His heart ached for what immature and divisive people would do; he longed for believers to grow up and unite under the banner and have the same goal- to bring glory to God by lifting up the Son, Who alone is able to save! Pastor friends, if any of you read this blog, know that it is written by a servant girl who loves Pastors and prays for Pastors. I know your hearts are heavy, at times, and the workload is overwhelming often - it's ok to cry before the Lord..He knows your hearts' desires and some of us know and weep along with you. Remember, there is a Pastor's crown for you who continue to serve faithfully. It will be worth it!!
The Apostle Paul also wept night and day as he warned the Ephesian elders of wolves who would come into the church and deceive and draw away from the truth. At the end of that chapter in Acts 26, they all cry as Paul leaves because they know they "will see his face no more." Separation causes us to cry and that's ok. We don't sorrow as those who have no hope but we do sorrow. We miss beloved people who have died in Christ when they no longer are in our midst but we will see their faces again in Heaven.
In closing, Eccl. 3:4 tells us there is a time to cry. Jesus wept, you know? John 11:35 Isaiah says He was " a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."Is. 53:3 I found it to be an interesting study one time to study in the N.T. accounts of when He cried and was grieved. Check it out sometime and see what made our Savior cry.
I mentioned in a previous blog my favorite aunt, my dear Mother's only sister, who was murdered in 1972. Her name was Annie Laurie and she loved a popular song at that time and would say to me when she would come over "Deb, go to the piano and play for me "He Washed My Eyes With Tears That I Might See". Yes, sometimes, crying is good for us and always remember that one day He will wipe all those tears from our eyes. HALLELUJAH!!
Looking up, Deborah
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