TEARS, DISAPPOINTMENTS and the RESURRECTION

TEARS! Have you shed any lately? The one thing that usually accompanies disappointment is tears. As we approach the day in which we celebrate Easter, I have been thinking more about the Resurrection and the days leading up to it - sorrowful days - days of darkness, sadness, cruelty and yes, TEARS! Have you ever thought about the tears in the Bible as you have been shedding your own? During that long and dreadful week leading up to the Resurrection we find many tears shed. We might even call it, "A Week of Weeping" for that's what it was.

There were the weeping women to whom Jesus said, "Don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." He explained to them why. It was because of the coming judgment upon those who had rejected Him. There were also the tears of those women who watched him suffer on the cross. Who of us could ever enter into what His mother, Mary must have endured as she watched him there. Actually, Scripture speaks of Mary's sorrow as a sword that entered into her own soul. How many tears did she weep for him there?

There were also the tears of Judas, tears of regret and remorse that only led to suicide, not genuine repentance. We can contrast Judas' tears with the tears of Peter which did lead to remembrance and repentance and finally to a renewal of wholly following the LORD. One of my favorite stories during the week of Christ's suffering and resurrection is the story of Mary Magdalene. When everyone else had gone back, Mary was still at the grave site, still seeking Him through her tears! We could fill an ocean with the tears that were shed during that sad and mournful week?

But, the tears that touch me the most are those that are mentioned in Hebrews chapter five. There the writer tells us of the Christ himself who in the days of His flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. Do you see him as he weeps at the tomb of Lazarus. Can you see Him as he looks out over Jerusalem with tears on his cheeks as he cries, "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gather you to me as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not come!" How many were the tears he shed for Jerusalem.?

Do you see Him in the garden weeping as he prays for His own and desires that they will one day be with him where he is? Do you see the tears he shed as he thinks of his betrayal by Judas and his denial by Peter and the forsaking by all of his disciples? Do you see Him as he asks his disciples who sleep instead of watching with him, "WHAT, could you not watch with me one hour?" He could have used a friend then, if ever, but they were sleeping and he was weeping - weeping and praying for them. Do you see him as he cries for the cup to be taken away but resigns to the His Father's will and cries with tears, "nevertheless, not my will but thine be done". Why those tears? Why that suffering? Why that long week of sadness, sorrow and disappointment? Was it not because of the Father's divine appointment - the appointment of the sacrifice for sin. He became SIN for US - HE, who though he knew sorrow and TEARS, knew NO SIN. Yet, in that week, in that hour, HE BECAME SIN.

The good news is that he did not remain sin for us - that hour past - the judgment was cast, the blood shed, the punishment paid and the third day he arose from the grave, entered into glory and ever lives to make intercession for those of us who now cry with strong crying and tears. The disappointment of that week was really a divine appointment for your salvation and mine! He is now a High Priest forever and can have compassion on us - OH what a Saviour, OH, what a Salvation - OH, what blessed TEARS!!

So, if you find yourself in tears this week, remember HIS tears for you and HIS care for you and cast those tears on HIM - He knows your pain and your sorrow and even your sin, for HE bore it all. And, remember some of His last words to us in His Revelation, "And God shall wipe away every TEAR from their eyes: there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor CRYING. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."